CM Devendra Fadnavis Cancels GRs On Three-Language Policy, Forms New Committee To Review Decision

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has cancelled the government resolutions (GRs) issued on April 16 and June 17 regarding the contentious three-language policy in schools. The decision comes after widespread criticism from opposition parties and Marathi outfits, who termed the move as an imposition of Hindi on the Marathi-speaking state.

The Maharashtra government had announced plans to make Hindi a compulsory third language in schools, alongside Marathi and English, as part of the National Education Policy (NEP). The decision was met with strong opposition from various quarters, including the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), who argued that it would undermine the importance of the Marathi language and culture.

To address the concerns and opposition, the Maharashtra government has formed a new committee led by Dr Narendra Jadhav to review the three-language policy. The committee will examine the matter and submit its recommendations, after which the government will take a final decision. Both GRs will remain suspended until further review.

Earlier, CM Devendra Fadnavis had defended the decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language, stating that it would provide students with an opportunity to learn an additional language and enhance their career prospects. However, he later clarified that Hindi has not been made mandatory in place of Marathi and that Marathi remains a compulsory language in schools.

Opposition's Reaction

The opposition parties have welcomed the decision to cancel the GRs and form a new committee. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had announced a joint march in Mumbai to challenge the government's decision, while MNS chief Raj Thackeray had also expressed strong opposition to the move.

The language advisory committee of Maharashtra had also opposed the decision, stating that it was unscientific and could place unnecessary pressure on young students. The committee had suggested that only two languages, including Marathi, should be compulsory until Std XII.

The new committee will review the three-language policy and submit its recommendations, which will be considered by the government. The government has assured that the Marathi language and culture will be protected and promoted.