Bowing to strong public criticism and political opposition, the Maharashtra government has rolled back its earlier mandate making Hindi a compulsory third language in primary schools. In a more inclusive and flexible move, the state has now allowed students in Classes 1 to 5 the option to choose any Indian language — not just Hindi — as their third language, provided certain conditions are met.

According to the revised government resolution (GR) issued by the School Education Department on June 17, students studying in Marathi and English-medium schools can opt for a different Indian language if at least 20 students in a class express interest. In such cases, the government will appoint a dedicated teacher. If fewer than 20 students choose a non-Hindi language, the subject will be taught online.

The updated guidelines state: “As per the State Curriculum Framework – School Education 2024, in Marathi and English medium schools, Hindi will generally be the third language from Class 1 to 5. However, if students wish to study another Indian language, they shall be permitted to do so.”

The language policy for non-Marathi and non-English-medium schools remains structured around three languages — the school's medium of instruction, compulsory Marathi, and English — ensuring consistency across diverse school setups in the state. For Classes 6 to 10, the current language framework remains unchanged.

This revised resolution comes after widespread opposition from political parties, especially the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which had called the earlier policy an “imposition of Hindi.” Protests erupted across the state in April, following which State School Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced a temporary halt to the decision, assuring that a new resolution would be issued.

The move to amend the policy also followed a recommendation from the state’s language consultation committee urging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to revoke the mandatory Hindi clause.