Maharashtra makes 3 languages compulsory for class 1

Time of India

6 hours ago

Mumbai: Maharashtra has made a three-language policy mandatory for the state board's Marathi and English medium schools from class I to V, a move that many educationists warn will put additional burden on students at an early age.
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The directive comes with riders: Hindi will no longer be a mandatory third language. Students are free to choose any other Indian language, but a teacher will be available only if there are at least 20 students in the class. Or else, the language has to be taught online, says the govt resolution (GR). Meanwhile, Marathi remains compulsory in all schools.
The GR has come months after the Govt first indicated its stand on Hindi as third language.
The order 'indirectly' forces schools to pick Hindi, say educationists, who are also opposed to teaching a third language in class I. Maharashtra is probably the only state to enforce three languages from class I.
CM Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the policy is part of the National Education Policy 2020. However, educationists say, it defies the National Curriculum Framework, which recommends introducing a third language at the age of 11 years.
An explanatory document released by Maharashtra's school education department on Wednesday said, "Teaching a third language at a very basic level will allow students to acquire another skill, positively impacting their intellectual development... NEP 2020 also cites research that has shown children learn languages very quickly between the ages of 2 and 8 years and this multilingualism greatly benefits young children's understanding.
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Govt justified its stand, by adding that the Supreme Court has already directed that NEP 2020 is not binding in any state. "Therefore, the state has the freedom to make necessary changes to its educational policy or the NEP 2020… The absence of a third language from the first grade in the NEP is not relevant... It is also important to note that many educational policies that were first implemented by Maharashtra, have been adopted by the entire country.
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Regarding introducing Hindi as the first choice for the third language, a govt official said, "Since Hindi is used routinely by students in the state from a young age, the decision will ensure that they will not experience any academic stress from this language. Also, teachers for Hindi will be readily available in schools and no additional resources will be required. Besides, for parents who choose languages other than Hindi, appropriate counselling will be provided through teachers, facilitated by the school education commissioner's office.
" The school education department added that there is no political motive behind the decision and the focus is on the student's overall development.
Father Francis Swamy, director of St Xavier's School and St Xavier's Boy's Academy, said they have been offering three languages in some of their schools right from class I, but students were not assessed for proficiency or be detained. "Children can definitely pick up languages at a young age but making it mandatory will add a burden at a young age.
While they can learn the three languages, it should be mandatory only from class V," he said.
Mahendra Ganpule, the former head of the Maharashtra School Principals' Association, said, "By making the provision for 20 children to opt for a different language, they will by default teach Hindi to our children." He added, "Though the script is the same, there are many differences in pronunciation and grammar." Another educationist said that most rural schools may not even have 20 students in each class, making the condition irrelevant.
Earlier, the state's Language Advisory Committee had publicly opposed the imposition of a third language in Class 1, calling it an "unscientific" move that would put additional pressure on primary students. Committee members suggested that a requirement for two Indian languages, including Marathi, should be enforced only in secondary school.
Defending the move, a govt official on Wednesday said in the Academic Bank of Credit concept implemented across India, students from other states and schools will earn points based on the different subjects they are learning at a young age, and if a third language is not introduced in class 1, Marathi students in Maharashtra will lag in the numbers of credits earned.
The official added that the commissioner's office will carry out a survey to check the languages schools are choosing based on the numbers in each class and accordingly syllabus will be framed, and textbooks will be made available.