‘Won’t Allow Centre’s Efforts to Hindi-fy Maharashtra’: Raj Thackeray Questions Three-Language Policy

New Delhi: The ongoing "Hindi imposition" controversy has now spread beyond southern states to Maharashtra, with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray vocally opposing the Centre's three-language formula. In a post on X, Thackeray criticized the Central government's move, urging that the three-language policy be limited to government functions and not be extended to education.

"We are Hindus, but not Hindi," Thackeray said, adding that MNS would not allow the Centre's efforts to "Hindi-ify" Maharashtra to succeed. "If you try to paint Maharashtra as Hindi, there is bound to be a struggle," Thackeray warned.

Maharashtra’s New Policy on Hindi Education

The Maharashtra government on Thursday made Hindi a compulsory third language for students from Classes 1 to 5, starting from the academic year 2025–26. The move is part of the phased implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the state. A government resolution issued by the Maharashtra School Education Department on Wednesday outlined the plan to introduce Hindi at the primary level, a significant shift from the previous system, which applied the three-language formula only at the secondary level.

With this new policy, students in both Marathi-medium and English-medium schools will now have to learn Hindi from Class 1. Schools following other mediums of instruction will also have to adopt the three-language system, where Marathi and English will become compulsory, while the language of instruction will be the third language. This adjustment is intended to foster multilingual competency among students from an early age.

The implementation of the NEP in Maharashtra will occur in four phases, starting with Class 1 in 2025–26. This will replace the existing 10+2+3 model with a 5+3+3+4 structure, dividing schooling into Foundation (ages 3–8), Preparatory (Classes 3–5), Pre-Secondary (Classes 6–8), and Secondary (Classes 9–12).

In line with the NEP’s objectives, Maharashtra's education system will also see the introduction of revised curriculum frameworks, teacher training programs, and new examination policies. Evaluations will now be carried out using a 'Holistic Progress Card' system, aimed at reducing academic pressure and promoting experiential learning.

However, the decision to make Hindi compulsory has sparked fierce debates among educators and experts. Vasant Kalpande, the former director of school education in Maharashtra, criticized the policy, stating that forcing students to learn Hindi was unfair. 

He argued that students should have the option to choose from a range of Indian languages, such as Tamil, Kannada, or Telugu, based on their regional preferences.