In a major development, the Maharashtra government's language consultation committee has unanimously opposed the decision to make Hindi compulsory in schools from the first grade. The panel, led by Laxmikant Deshmukh, has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to reverse the policy.

The state government had announced on April 17 that Hindi would be introduced as a mandatory third language alongside Marathi and English in all state board schools, as part of the National Education Policy (NEP). The decision, which was finalized by the School Education Department on April 16, aims to promote multilingualism among students.

However, the new policy has sparked strong criticism. Rahul Ashok Rekhawar, Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Maharashtra, defended the decision, emphasizing its potential benefits for students' development.

Despite the government's justification, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has expressed concerns over the imposition of Hindi in the state’s schools, accusing the ruling Mahayuti alliance of undermining regional languages.