With opposition mounting over the introduction of Hindi in Maharashtra’s primary school curriculum, the state’s government-appointed Language Advisory Committee has appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to withdraw the directive. According to the committee’s resolution passed on Friday in Pune, no third language—including Hindi—should be taught before Class 5. The meeting saw attendance from 20 of the 27 committee members, with Kiran Kulkarni, secretary of the Marathi language department, also present.
A language controversy erupted after the state government’s recent amended order proposed that Hindi be generally taught as a third language in Marathi- and English-medium schools from Classes 1 to 5. The order did include a provision allowing students to opt for a different Indian language if at least 20 students per grade requested it, in which case the school would arrange for a teacher or online lessons.
‘Neither Educationally Sound Nor Culturally Appropriate’: Maharashtra Language Advisory Committee Chief
Speaking to reporters, committee chairman Laxmikant Deshmukh said this was the first time a government-supported body had taken a stand against a government decision of this nature. “We are not against Hindi or any other language, but imposing it in early schooling is neither educationally sound nor culturally appropriate. Language learning in the early years must focus on the mother tongue for strong foundational skills,” he said, as per news agency PTI.
Deshmukh pointed out that the committee had raised concerns earlier when the government first moved to introduce Hindi in primary schools, but those objections were ignored. “The government attempted to bypass this by presenting misleading interpretations. We want the government resolution on this matter to be cancelled outright,” Deshmukh added.
During the meeting, prominent committee members such as renowned language expert Prakash Parab and senior Marathi writer Shripad Bhalchandra Joshi highlighted their objections, receiving unanimous support from others. Joshi warned of consequences for children’s linguistic development, recalling that when English was made compulsory for primary classes in Marathi-medium schools in 1999, Marathi became mandatory in English-medium schools only seven years later—leaving many children struggling with both languages. “Now, by adding Hindi or any other third language early on, children’s linguistic abilities will only weaken,” Joshi cautioned, calling the move a “systematic attempt to dilute Maharashtra’s intellectual strength.”
Committee Recommends Third Language Only After Class 5
The Language Advisory Committee, which is tasked with guiding the state government on matters such as creating dictionaries, standardising words, and setting language policies, made it clear that introducing a third language should not occur before Class 5, and even then, it should be optional. Deshmukh concluded: “As an advisory committee, we strongly recommend that the government avoid introducing a third language in primary schools. Doing so could negatively affect students’ psychological development and undermine the cultural identity of the state.”
The committee has also resolved to participate in the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS morcha scheduled for July 5, according to Deshmukh.