Maharashtra Mandates Hindi in Schools Under NEP 2020

The Maharashtra government has mandated Hindi as a compulsory third language in Marathi and English medium schools from Std I-V, aligning with the National Education Policy 2020. The implementation will roll out incrementally from the 2025-26 academic year, sparking debate over regional linguistic pride.

The Maharashtra government has announced that Hindi will be required as a third language in all Marathi and English medium schools from Std I-V, following the directives of the National Education Policy 2020.

This development marks a shift from the current mandate, which requires only Marathi and English as compulsory languages. The new language policy will begin with Class 1 in the 2025-26 academic year.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar has criticized the move, stating it undermines Marathi linguistic pride. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the decision, emphasizing the importance of Hindi for nationwide communication.

(With inputs from agencies.)