Govt panel opposes three-language policy, asks CM to roll back decision on Hindi in primary classes
The Language Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the government on matters related to the Marathi language, passed a resolution on Friday demanding that no third language, including Hindi, be taught before Class 5.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Maharashtra scraps order making Hindi 3rd language in schools
Uddhav and Aaditya burn the govt resolution on Hindi language Sunday MUMBAI: Buffeted by an anti-Hindi campaign led by the Thackeray cousins, CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday announced that the state cabinet had decided to scrap two Govt Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as a third language for class 1 students. The announcement came on a day when public protests against introducing Hindi in primary schools started with Uddhav Thackeray present at a symbolic burning of the GRs at Azad Maidan. A stormy start was also expected to the monsoon session of the state legislature on Monday. Announcing a rollback, the CM also set up a panel led by academic Narendra Jadhav to frame recommendations for implementing a three-language policy. "Our policy is Marathi-centric and Marathi student-centric. We do not wish to do politics on this issue," said Fadnavis. Following the announcement, the Thackerays called off a joint protest rally to be held on July 5 and instead hold a 'victory procession'. Both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena had described the move to start Hindi lessons in primary school as a 'linguistic imposition'. Announcing a rollback, Fadnavis cited recommendations of the Mashelkar committee set up by his predecessor in 2020 to defend his govt's move. He said Thackeray formed the expert panel to guide the administration on adopting the new National Education Policy. He said the report was accepted by Thackeray, Congress and NCP (SP) when in power. "But as usual when in power speak differently, when out of power speak differently. Opposition for opposition sake," he added.
The Print
3 hours ago
- The Print
‘Bangla Pokkho' rally to protest govt order notifying Hindi, Urdu as language in WBCS exam
Kolkata, Jun 29 (PTI) Members of a pro-Bengali advocacy group 'Bangla Pokkho' took out a rally in the city on Sunday in protest against the order of the state government notifying Hindi and Urdu as a recognised language in the West Bengal Civil Services Examination (WBCS). The organisation's general secretary Garga Chattopadhyay said, 'We demand Bengali be made the mandatory language in writing WBCS exams on the lines of the yardstick followed in other states.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
Maharashtra: Academicians welcome scrapping of GRs on three language policy
Academics in Pune welcomed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's announcement of the scrapping of the two government resolutions (GRs) on three-language policy on Sunday evening. The first resolution had introduced Hindi as the compulsory third language from class 1 in Maharashtra State Board schools, while the amended second resolution gave students the option to choose any Indian language as their third language. However, the decision to introduce Hindi as a third language was met with opposition from academics, language experts, and political groups. Now, Fadnavis has announced that the GRs will be scrapped and a committee headed by Dr Narendra Jadhav will relook the issue. Laxmikant Deshmukh, the chairperson of the government-appointed Language Consultation Committee that has been strongly opposing the move, said that the government has bowed to the unity of the Marathi people. 'There was no need to introduce a third language without putting any thought into the decision. Hindi language is being taught from class 5. So, increasing the student's burden from class 1 was not required. There is also no need to form the committee and the move should have been just cancelled completely. It gives the feeling that the government still has the thought of implementing Hindi as the third language. The fear will remain,' he told The Indian Express. Vasant Kalpande, former Director of School Education of Maharashtra, said it was wrong to make such a GR in the first place. 'Now, a committee has been formed. We had recommended the same to the SCERT director today. Although the meeting had no relation to this decision (of scrapping), the decision was made parallely,' he added. Milind Joshi, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, shared a statement saying the decision is in the interest of the state and its students. ' On behalf of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, I congratulate him (Fadnavis) wholeheartedly. He was the one who had taken the initiative to make Marathi Language education compulsory. I hope that he will continue to make decisions in the interest of the Marathi language in the future,' the statement mentioned. Former head of Maharashtra School Principals Association Mahendra Ganpule told The Indian Express said that the announcement has been made to cool down the political climate that had emerged. 'But a committee has been formed under Narendra Jadhav. Who will be the members of that committee? We can say that at least for this year this crisis has been averted but the fight will have to be kept on until the decision of having a third language doesn't get completely cancelled,' he added. 7-hour marathon meet Earlier in the day, two marathon meetings stretching to 7 hours took place at the State Council Of Educational Research And Training in Pune between officials, academics and language stakeholders over the three-language issue. SCERT Director Rahul Rekhawar and Education Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh met Deshmukh, Kalpande, Joshi, Ganpule, Deccan Education Society's Anand Katikar, former Joint director of education Bhau Gawande, former education secretary of Balbharti Dhanwanti Hardikar, who expressed their opposition to the introduction of the three-language policy. Just as the last few members of the meeting were walking out of the gate of the building at 7pm, news of Fadnavis announcing the cancellation of the GRs rolled in. Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune. A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read More
