Maharashtra Government retracts controversial GRs amid fierce political backlash over Hindi instruction in schools
by Utsav RoyThe Maharashtra government has retracted two Government Resolutions (GRs) related to the implementation of the three-language policy in schools, following significant opposition over the introduction of Hindi as a language for students in classes 1 to 5. The original GR issued on April 16 mandated Hindi as a compulsory third language for English and Marathi-medium students. Due to public backlash, the government revised the GR on June 17, making Hindi optional. However, growing protests led the state cabinet to withdraw both GRs altogether.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking ahead of the monsoon legislative session, announced the formation of a committee headed by educationist Dr. Narendra Jadhav to review and recommend the future course for language policy implementation. This panel will examine the earlier report of the Mashelkar Committee, which had recommended teaching Marathi, English, and Hindi from classes 1 to 12, and submit its findings within three months.
Fadnavis pointed out that the previous government under Uddhav Thackeray had accepted the Mashelkar Committee’s suggestions and established a subgroup for implementation, but the current political debate has overshadowed the issue. He accused Thackeray of politicizing the language matter, suggesting his opposition to Hindi aims to promote English instead.
Opposition parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, and NCP had vehemently opposed the Hindi language imposition, describing it as forced cultural assimilation. Fadnavis emphasized that the three-language policy aims to benefit Marathi students academically, allowing them to earn credits across languages.
Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde supported the decision, with Pawar urging people not to participate in planned protests. The government has pledged to reconsider language policy thoughtfully, prioritizing student interests without political ego, and await the expert committee’s recommendations before moving forward.