By Dr. Gyan Pathak
BJP’s rhetoric on Hindi Language politics has been acquiring higher note with passing of the day, so is the counter rhetoric in the non-Hindi speaking states, since their struggle with the implementation of the three languages formula under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 faces fresh opposition. Even the non-Hindi speaking BJP ruled state like Maharashtra has been struggling under stiff opposition, and had to scrap its earlier implementation order on introduction of the three-language policy for classes 1 to 5 on June 29.
The scrapping order came only after two days of the resolution passed in the Marathi Language Advisory Committee, which guides the state on policies related to Marathi, on June 27, 2025, calling for no third language, including Hindi, to be introduced before class 5. The Committee had strongly opposed the decision of the BJP led government in the state to teach Hindi as a third language, and has asked the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis to withdraw its decision.
The Committee had said that the order of the government stating Hindi would “generally” be taught as a third language in Marathi and English-medium schools from classes 1 to 5 goes against both educational principles and cultural priorities of the state.
The order of the CM Devendra Fadnavis led BJP government of the state had said that students can opt for another Indian language instead of Hindi if 20 or more students per grade make such a request. In such cases the language would be taught either by appointing a teacher or through online classes.
The chairman of the Committee Laxmikant Deshmukh has said, “We are not against Hindi or any language. But forcing in early schooling is not educationally sound,” adding “Young children must first gain a strong foundation in their mother tongue.” He even accused the state government of ignoring earlier warning from the committee an of justifying the move through misleading interpretations.
Even wore situation is that the Committee has also decided to join the July 5, 2025 protest march scheduled by the opposition political parties Shiva Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) against the three-language policy under NEP 2020.
It should be also be noted that the Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar, which is part of the CM Fadnavis led state government has been all along opposing the government order of implementing the three-language formula in Maharashtra schools.
While scrapping its own earlier order, the Maharashtra government has set up an expert committee to be headed by economist and educationist Narendra Jadhav to decide the future of the policy.
CM Fadnavis has said, “The Committee will look into the three-language policy, from which grade it should be implemented. It will study the recommendations of the Mashelkar Committee report. It will also hear those who have a different opinion. The government will accept the Narendra Jadhav committee report.
Maharashtra’s struggle with implementation of the three-language formula under NEP 2020 is the latest example. Actually, India has 19 non-Hindi speaking states, which are struggling with the three-language policy. The only states which are implementing this policy smoothly are the Hindi speaking states which are only 9 in number. Among the 8 UTs, five are non-Hindi speaking, which are struggling through its implementation while only in three UTs the policy is being implemented with greater ease. It goes without saying that students in 19 non-Hindi speaking states and 5 non-Hindi speaking UTs are undergoing varied level of difficulties.
Nevertheless, central education boards like CBSE and ICSE are enforcing three-language formula in the schools affiliated with them, despite objections by the concerned states. They have made Hindi compulsory. Only a few months ago, Punjab had raised objection to CBSE, and viewed the boards syllabus as an attempt to diminish Punjabi, by making Hindi compulsory.
The major struggle has been reported from Tamil Nadu, where Chief Minister M K Stalin had said in February, “If we introduce NEP, we will end up taking the state backwards by over 2000 years. Even if we are offered Rs 10,000 crore, the government will not introduce NEP as long as I am the Chief Minister.”
It is worth recalling that the Centre had withhold the education funds to Tamil Nadu over non-implementation of three language-formula under NEP 2020. On June 11, Madras High Court had directed the Centre to delink Right to Education (RTE) funds from NEP, and asked for separate release under Samagra Shiksha scheme.
The Centre had told the court that the funds were part of the larger Samagra Shiksha Scheme. Of the Rs 2,151 crore allocated, Rs 200 crore was earmarked for RTE reimbursements, and the funds were withheld because Tamil Nadu had not adopted the NEP 2020.
Supreme Court had dismissed a PIL in May last which sought implementation of the three-language formula under NEP in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal. The Apex Court has said, “It cannot directly compel a state to adopt a policy like the NEP 2020.”
Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal are among major states who have their own language preferences, and have expressed their concerns over prioritization of Hindi under NEP 2020, which they perceive as imposition of Hindi language.
Like Maharashtra, Goa has Marathi as third languages while Konkani and English are taught as first and second language. Puducherry don’t have Hindi among three languages as of now.
Other non-Hindi speaking states and UTs have already Hindi as one of the languages in schools. Nevertheless, they have been facing several challenges in imparting quality Hindi education. BJP’s Hindi political rhetoric has created political opposition to the perceived imposition of Hindi language. Unavailability of enough number of trained teachers, adequate resources for learning, and lack of funds remain other serious hurdles. Regional preferences and political differences with the BJP’s Hindi language politics posing a serious crisis. (IPA Service)
