MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has withdrawn its controversial Government Resolutions (GRs) mandating Hindi as a third language in Marathi and English-medium schools for Classes 1 to 5, following widespread backlash from opposition parties, language advocates, and the public. CM Fadnavis made the announcement, further announcing a panel to discuss the way ahead.

This comes hours after a Shiv Sena (UBT)-led protest in Mumbai and across the state, where copies of the June 17 resolution were burned. The resolution stated that Hindi was "generally" the third language, and not mandatory, for Classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi medium schools. The party's chief, Uddhav Thackeray, had said that he does not oppose Hindi, but just its imposition.

The controversy began with a GR issued on April 16, 2025, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which proposed Hindi as a mandatory third language alongside Marathi and English. An amended GR on June 17 softened the stance, making Hindi the "general" third language, with an opt-out option for other Indian languages if 20 students per grade requested it.

Critics, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT), labeled this a "backdoor imposition," arguing it undermined Marathi culture. MNS chief Raj Thackeray warned of conflict, stating, “Hindi is not the national language; it’s a state language like Marathi.”

The state’s Language Advisory Committee, in a resolution passed on June 27 in Pune, urged Fadnavis to scrap the policy, citing cognitive overload on young students and threats to Marathi identity. Committee chairman Laxmikant Deshmukh emphasized that no third language should be introduced before Class 5. Public protests escalated, with Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal publicly burning the GR, calling it a betrayal of Maharashtra’s linguistic heritage.

Responding to the outcry, Fadnavis clarified that Marathi remains mandatory, and Hindi is optional under the NEP’s flexible three-language formula. Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse confirmed the cancellation of the GRs, stating that new rules will be framed after assessing school capacities. The rollback has been welcomed by opposition leaders, though they remain vigilant against future attempts to prioritize Hindi, highlighting Maharashtra’s commitment to preserving its linguistic diversity.