MUMBAI: The Mahayuti government on Tuesday night issued a government resolution bringing back Hindi as a third optional-cum-compulsory language in Marathi and English medium schools in the state from classes 1 to 5.While some Marathi language advocates accused the government of reintroducing the policy through the “backdoor” after initially backtracking, the opposition Congress accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of “stabbing” the Marathi people in the chest.The order stated that Hindi will “generally” be the third language, but gave an option to opt out if 20 students per grade in a school express the desire to study any Indian language other than Hindi. However, the state school education department shrugged off its responsibility of providing teachers for a third language other than Hindi. Even if the 20 students show a keen interest in studying a different language, like French or Spanish, the state government is not mandated to provide the school with a teacher of that particular language. Thus, third languages other than Hindi will be taught via digital platforms.Marathi will be a compulsory language in all medium schools, the order said.The directive also mandates that in schools following other mediums of instruction, the three-language formula must include the medium language, Marathi and English.
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