- A Maharashtra government notification makes Hindi the default third language in schools.
- The earlier decision to make Hindi compulsory faced significant opposition and protests.
- The revised notification allows Hindi as a "generally taught" third language for grades I to V.
Hindi will be the default third language in schools across Maharashtra, the state government said in a revised notification issued Tuesday. In April the state had made Hindi the mandatory third language for primary students in all Marathi and English-medium schools.
That notification prompted fierce protests from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and even Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which is seen as friendly towards the ruling BJP.
It also re-opened the 'Hindi imposition' row, which refers to claims by non-Hindi-speaking states - that Hindi is being forced on non-native speakers to the detriment of their languages.
Five days later the Maharashtra government backtracked.
School Education Minister Dada Bhuse said the decision had been stayed and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared that only Marathi would be a compulsory language for school students.
READ | Amid Hindi Langauge Row, Maharashtra Stays Order Making It Compulsory
But in yesterday's revised notification, the School Education Department said Hindi would not be 'compulsory' but it will be the 'generally' taught third language from Class I to V, a move Marathi outfits slammed as trying to introduce it via the 'backdoor' after the state's backtrack.
Students can, however, opt for other languages if they want, the notification said.
There must, though, be a minimum of 20 students in a class who want to learn another language. If that threshold is met, the school will make that subject available.
And, if the school cannot find a teacher for that language, classes will be held online.
Marathi remains a compulsory subject for all school students in the state.
However, the revised notification has also raised red flags, with educators saying the threshold of 20 students is an unreasonably high number. Vasant Kalpande, ex-Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, made that point.
"The provision to make teachers available online is also an attempt to discourage students from opting for any language other than Hindi..." he told news agency PTI, "Marathi and Hindi have similar scripts but it will be too much for young students to learn both..."
The three-language policy - under which Hindi is now the default third language in Maharashtra - is part of the federal government's revised National Education Policy from 2020.
But non-Hindi speaking states - Tamil Nadu, in particular - have been on the warpath, arguing against a policy requirement for students from Class VII and above to learn a third language.
READ | "Ruining Students' Future", "Arrogant": Centre vs Tamil Nadu on Hindi Row
The push to learning a third language has been seen as 'Hindi imposition', given most schools teach English and the state language as the two linguistic subjects.
The ruling DMK objected to the NEP on this ground, this pointing out its existing two-language policy has served the state - the second-largest contributor to the national economy - well.
The BJP, however, has maintained its formula will benefit people travelling to other states.
It has also argued the NEP does not force a student to study Hindi.
With input from agencies
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