In the midst of disagreement over its language policy, the Maharashtra School Education Department declared today, Tuesday, April 22, that Hindi will no longer be required as the third language in Marathi and English medium State Board schools from Classes I to V.

While the three-language system will continue to apply beginning in Class I, students will not be obliged to study Hindi as their third language, The Indian Express reports.

School Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced that a revised Government Resolution (GR) will be released soon to eliminate the word 'mandatory'. "The three-language formula remains, but schools must accommodate other language choices if a significant number of students in a class request it," stated the minister.

The pullback followed resistance from the state's Language Consultation Committee, chaired by Laxmikant Deshmukh, who criticised the proposal, forcing a clarification from the School Education Minister.

The Maharashtra government's move sparked a strong reaction from opposition parties, igniting a broader debate about regional identity, language politics, and federalism.

Parties from across the opposition spectrum, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray, and the Congress, have spoken out against the perceived imposition of Hindi.

The dispute over language is not new in Maharashtra. The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement in the 1950s advocated for the establishment of a Marathi-speaking state with Mumbai as its capital, which was achieved in 1960.

Later, Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sena expanded its base by advocating for the rights of the "Marathi Manoos".