July 1,2025: The Maharashtra government has officially withdrawn its controversial resolution mandating a three-language policy in schools, following a wave of protests and political opposition. The resolution, issued earlier this year, required schools across the state — including those affiliated with ICSE, CBSE, and international boards — to teach Marathi, English, and Hindi as compulsory subjects from Classes 1 to 10.
The move was initially in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes multilingual education. However, the policy quickly drew criticism from opposition parties, educationists, and linguistic rights activists who termed it an attempt to impose Hindi and dilute Maharashtra’s linguistic identity.
The strongest objections came from regional parties including Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. They argued that making Hindi compulsory in non-Hindi-speaking states violates the federal spirit of the Constitution and undermines the status of Marathi as the state language.
Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had earlier condemned the resolution, calling it “an encroachment on the cultural autonomy of Maharashtra.” The opposition further questioned the rationale of enforcing Hindi in English-medium and international schools where Hindi is not currently part of the core curriculum.
Facing mounting pressure, the Eknath Shinde-led government announced the rollback late last week. State School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar confirmed the decision, stating, “The government has taken note of the concerns raised by citizens and stakeholders. Marathi will continue to be promoted, but we will not impose Hindi.”
Education activists welcomed the move but urged the government to remain vigilant against any future attempts to standardize language policies without considering regional diversity. “This is a victory for linguistic democracy,” said Sulekha Chavan, a member of the Marathi Bhasha Parishad. “Language policy must emerge from public consensus, not unilateral bureaucratic decisions.”
While Hindi remains an optional subject under the NEP framework, Maharashtra’s latest decision underscores the growing resistance among non-Hindi states toward perceived linguistic centralization. Similar debates have occurred in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, where local governments have taken firm stances against the mandatory teaching of Hindi.
The withdrawal of the resolution is seen as a strategic move by the state government ahead of key civic and assembly elections. Analysts suggest the ruling coalition may be seeking to avoid alienating regional voters, especially amid rising Marathi identity discourse.
With the resolution officially repealed, schools across Maharashtra will continue to follow the existing state curriculum norms. The government has also indicated that future language policy changes will involve broader consultation with educators, political leaders, and community stakeholders.
