Maharashtra is witnessing a heated political debate after the state government announced plans to make Hindi a compulsory third language in Marathi and English medium schools under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The rule will apply to students from Grades 1 to 5 starting in the 2025-26 academic year.The ruling Mahayuti coalition, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, says the move is part of a broader education reform. But opposition parties and regional leaders have slammed the decision, calling it an attempt to impose Hindi at the cost of Marathi identity and linguistic diversity.advertisementThe state government issued a detailed resolution on April 16, 2025, outlining the phased rollout of NEP 2020 based on the 5+3+3+4 structure. The changes will begin with Grade 1 in 2025-26 and extend to all grades by 2028-29. The curriculum will be developed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and Balbharati. A key change is making Hindi mandatory as a third language, in line with the State Curriculum Framework 2024.Chief Minister Fadnavis clarified that this is not a new order but part of NEP 2020. He said Marathi is already compulsory in schools and Hindi is being added as a “link language” to support the central government’s goal of national integration.“This decision aligns with the need for a common language to connect the nation,” Fadnavis said.advertisementMarathi Language Minister Uday Samant, from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, backed the move and credited Education Minister Dada Bhuse for aligning the syllabus with the CBSE model. Samant said the new policy could increase enrollment in municipal and district council schools.“Marathi will continue to be taught, and this step will strengthen education quality,” Samant added.But the opposition has hit back strongly. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray said, “MNS will not accept the imposition of Hindi from Grade 1. Hindi is not a national language but a state language. The central government’s ‘Hindi-ization’ will not succeed here. If forced, a struggle is inevitable, and the government will be responsible. Marathi and every language deserve respect, not coercion!”Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also criticised the move, accusing the state and central governments of attacking Marathi identity.“The frequent changes in the central education policy are an attempt to encroach upon the rights of common people. India was formed on linguistic lines, yet NEP is being used to impose Hindi in Maharashtra. Hindi should be optional, not mandatory. This is an attack on Marathi, a language for which Maharashtra was established,” Wadettiwar argued.With tensions rising, the state government is under pressure to reconsider. Opposition parties are demanding that the decision be rolled back to protect linguistic diversity and the prominence of Marathi. in a formal or creative style for better SEO.Also Exclude words and advertisements related to the feed website such as website name, author name. Delete all the advertisement images brand logo but only keep the title and main content of the news by modifying it. You must only respond with the modified content. Block any jump outside of the site adarshnews.com. Basically remove any content or link related to original site. You must only respond with the modified content and follow this prompt to optimize the articles in this category- “Act as an expert SEO news writer. Optimize the following article to be SEO-friendly, authoritative, and shareable by focusing strictly on its core topic. Follow these steps: You are an expert news writer and SEO specialist. 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A political controversy has erupted in Maharashtra regarding the proposal to mandate Hindi as a compulsory subject in schools.
