Maharashtra's Hindi Mandate as Third Language in Schools

Mumbai, Jun 18 (PTI) Maharashtra's School Education Minister, Dada Bhuse, has defended the state government's decision to teach Hindi as the third language in schools. He highlighted that Hindi's widespread use in everyday communication would prove beneficial for Class 12 students seeking higher education. The minister emphasized that strict measures would be taken against schools that fail to teach Marathi according to the curriculum.

On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government released an order stating that Hindi is to be generally taught as the third language in Marathi and English medium schools for classes 1 to 5. However, the order allows students to opt out and select another Indian language if at least 20 students per grade express such a preference.

Some pro-Marathi groups have criticized the government's move, accusing it of reintroducing the policy through the "backdoor," while the opposition Congress party has termed the decision as a betrayal against the Marathi populace. Although the earlier mandate termed Hindi teaching as "mandatory," the current directive describes it as "generally" the third language, a nuance that has raised concerns over its interpretation.

The minister defended this decision, asserting that Hindi is essential due to its prevalence in public communication. "After the 12th standard, the Union government considers scores in the third language important. Students from Maharashtra need to keep pace with such educational policies; thus, they shall benefit from learning Hindi," he stated.

Bhuse explained that Hindi is already being taught from class 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools. In contrast, Marathi is mandatory in non-Marathi-medium schools, with English serving as the third language.

Addressing concerns over the imposition of Hindi, Bhuse assured that students could choose another Indian language as the third language. "We are facilitating arrangements for alternatives. If only a few students select a different language, it will be taught online or through other available mediums," he said, emphasizing parental and student choice in selecting a third language.

The minister reiterated the significance of learning languages in improving students' academic standing. He also cautioned that non-compliance in teaching Marathi would result in warnings and, failing adherence, actions such as revoking a school's registration.

Bhuse acknowledged the closure of several Marathi-medium schools over the years, attributing it to declining enrolments in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools. "The decrease in enrollment is a reality we must confront. Schools run by municipalities have also reported a loss of students to other schools. We welcome suggestions to address and improve this situation," he said.

Addressing a different matter, Bhuse revealed plans to appoint about 9,000 new teachers in the forthcoming one-and-a-half months.