No compulsion to learn any specific third language, clarifies Maharashtra education minister amid Hindi row

Marathi subject is mandatory in all Maharashtra schools and there is no compulsion to learn Hindi or any specific language as a third language, state school education minister Dadaji Bhuse clarified amid row over three-language policy. While addressing the public, he explained how the trilingual formula, as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), will help Maharashtra school students earn credits, who can learn any third language as per their choices.

The state government's recent order to teach Hindi as a 'general' third language in Marathi and English-medium schools has drawn widespread criticism from opposition leaders including Sanjay Raut, Sharad Pawar, and Marathi literary bodies calling it a 'backdoor move' to impose Hindi. Following the uproar, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that a final decision will be taken only after consulting the opposition parties and literary groups.

“Marathi language is being taught as a compulsory subject in all medium schools in the state and it will be implemented effectively. At the same time, considering the future concept of ‘Academic Bank of Credit’ for evaluation and keeping in mind the interests of students, the language policy will be implemented in the state as per National Education Policy 2020. In this, no language will be mandatory as a third language and other Indian languages including Hindi will be optional,” Bhuse clarified during a press meet.

Bhuse noted that English has been accepted as a second language in state board schools for many years and Marathi and Hindi are taught along in English-medium schools of other boards. The state government has given students the option to choose from Indian languages as per their preference without any compulsion for the third language. There is no compulsion to learn any specific third language, he emphasized.

He reiterated that teachers will be appointed for the language in demand by at least 20 students. Additionally, digital learning facilities will be provided for less than 20 students. He also clarified that pleasant oral education will be provided in classes 1 and 2 through pictures, songs, and rhymes.

NCF and SCF

According to the school time planning in the National Curriculum Framework (Foundation Level) 2022, 10 hours per week have been suggested for the first language (Marathi) and the State Curriculum Framework (SCF) (Foundation Level) 2024 recommends 15 hours per week, the minister pointed out. Also, only five hours per week have been suggested for the third language.

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According to UDISE 2024-25, there are a total of 1,08,157 schools of various mediums in the state hosting 2,11,79,673 students and 7,43,948 teachers. Of these; 85,702 schools are Marathi-medium with 1,27,61,364 students and 4,558,100 teachers. There are 66,89,059 students and 2,34,769 teachers in 15,118 English-medium schools. 12,52,423 students and 37,629 teachers are present in 5,096 Hindi-medium schools.

Bhuse went on to say that Hindi is taught in Marathi-medium schools from Class 5 onwards. The books currently available in Hindi language are the books that are required every year. No new books have been printed for languages other than Hindi. Apart from Marathi and English medium schools of the state board, the three-language formula of mother tongue, Marathi and English is already applicable.

NEP, ABC, three-language formula

Defending the government’s decision to introduce Hindi as a third language in schools, he said that in line with the NEP, the three-language formula has been adopted in many states. It is recommended to teach two Indian languages and one foreign language (English). According to neuroscience and child psychology, children between the ages of 2 and 8 have the highest capacity to acquire language skills.

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As per the guidelines issued in the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) assessment, a student will be given points for that education based on how many subjects or arts he or she has learned and how much time he or she has given for it. Through this, if a third language is taught from Class 1 in all medium schools, skills will be acquired up to Class 6 and later they will get credit points for the language subject. Each student will compete for credit points at the national level. “In the next 8 to 10 years, the positive results of this trilingual formula will be seen at the national level through the students of Maharashtra,” Bhuse remarked.