Maharashtra education minister clarifies Hindi as third language in schools not compulsory
Nashik: School education minister Dada Bhuse on Saturday addressed concerns regarding state govt's decision to designate Hindi the third language in schools. He said the decision aligned with the recommendation of the task force established by the Uddhav Thackeray-led state govt to study and implement the National Education Policy (NEP).
Bhuse said, "Let me make it clear that Hindi is not made 'compulsory'. Besides, there will be no writing material for the subject in Std I and II. It will be an orally taught subject with an introduction including rhymes, understanding meaning with pictures, and such. The writing will begin from Std III only." He attributed the decision to the task force recommendations accepted by state govt on Jan 27, 2022.
"It was the same meeting when another subject was also discussed, which was related to making wines available in the walk-in malls through the shelves.
What we are doing is what was already discussed and decided upon," he said.
Referring to the task force report, Bhuse said the recommendation involved a three-language formula for English and Marathi schools, introducing English and Hindi as the second language from Std I. This approach follows the student-centric Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) system introduced under the NEP, providing students with greater flexibility to pursue their careers and interests.
When questioned about the opposition's stand on the issue, Bhuse said, "In a democracy, people have the right to agitate and have their views. No one can stop it. There are several states other than Maharashtra that are following the three-language policy, and also in our state, about 25% of schools have been following it for long."
Bhuse also noted that govt had mandated more periods for Marathi than recommended in the NEP to ensure that students understand the subject more effectively.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Jailed fishers, struggling families: A Palghar story
Sami Kishore Masya's tin-roofed tenement is so dark in the sunny afternoon that a volunteer has to turn on a mobile torch to converse with her. Sami speaks haltingly in Marathi. "My husband was our main breadwinner. Survival is hard as there are many to feed (five children, her mother, and herself) and income is unsteady and paltry," she says. The family lives in Khunwde village in Dahanu Taluka, Palghar district. Sami is the wife of Kishore Ukhadya Masya, one of 18 fishermen currently imprisoned in Malir Jail in Karachi, Pakistan. The men were arrested when their boats were swept into international waters by gusty winds. Acting on repeated petitions by peace activists, in 2023 the Maharashtra govt announced a daily allowance of Rs 300 to each of their families. Incidentally, all 18 fishers from Maharashtra are from tribal villages in Palghar district. Activists seeking financial aid on their behalf blame bureaucratic indifference for their families' hardships. "The state govt has sanctioned Rs 16.20 lakh to the families of fishermen, as opposed to the Rs 64.16 lakh proposed by the fisheries department of Palghar, as of May 2025," says Mumbai-based peace activist Jatin Desai, who has worked for the repatriation of Indian and Pakistani fishermen imprisoned in each country. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "The remaining amount (Rs 47.97 lakh) should be released immediately, followed by Rs 9,000 credited monthly to their bank account. " You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai There are 193 Indian fishermen, including 18 from Maharashtra, in Pakistan's custody, while 81 Pakistani fishers are in Indian jails. Each year, on January 1 and July 1, both countries swap lists of the fishermen and civil prisoners they hold from across the border. Desai says both countries have violated the bilateral agreement. "Section (V) of the bilateral agreement on consular access, 2008, says that both govts have to agree to release and repatriate persons within one month of confirmation of their national status and completion of their sentences," he explains. "Of the 193 Indian fishermen in Pakistan's jails, 180 completed their sentence and their nationality was verified. " Ajay Vasant Varu of Jalwai village in Dahanu Taluka was arrested on November 5, 2021, along with seven others, by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency when their boat drifted across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). "I have three children and Ajay's old father to look after. The little income (Rs 250 per day) from plucking chikoos is inadequate to run the house. This too stops as chikoo plucking is seasonal and I then have to look for farm work," says Ajay's wife Bhagyashree. The desperation of the families is acute. While men either work on fishing boats of Porbandar and Diu, or at factories and back offices located in the neighbouring districts of Gujarat, women toil at chikoo orchards and on paddy fields. Local volunteer Ganpat Lakshman Bujad says the tribals possess little beyond their modest houses in their hamlets on the hills. Bujad's cousin Vinod Lakshman Kol's body was brought back from Pakistan to his village on May 1 last year, after he died of a heart attack on March 17. "People take risks and go fishing deep into the sea because hunger haunts their families back home," he says. Working between August and April, with a three-month monsoon break from May to July, fishers are under pressure to net a large catch so that boat owners, who spend Rs 4-5 lakh on a 20-day trip, can profit from each trip. In addition to the diesel cost, fishermen are paid Rs 20,000-25,000 each. "Pollution from effluents and industrial waste flowing into the sea have driven fish further away from the coast. This has forced fishermen to sail deeper into waters and risk drifting into Pakistani territory," says Bharat Mody, ex-president, Porbandar Fishermen Boat Owners Association.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
My government committed to freeing India from colonial mindset: PM Modi
NEW DELHI: PM Modi asserted that his government is committed to freeing the nation from the colonial mindset and advancing it with equal emphasis on development and heritage, while safeguarding the enduring vitality of Indian languages. He was addressing the centenary celebrations of Jain saint Acharya Vidyanand Maharaj at Vigyan Bhawan on Saturday. "We are promoting mother tongues in higher education. And that is why I said from the Red Fort that we must free the country from the mentality of colonialism. We must move forward with development and heritage together," he said countering opposition from some states to the Centre's three-language formula and accusation of Hindi imposition. Modi highlighted the govt's recent recognition of Prakrit as a classical language in Oct 2024, alongside efforts to digitise ancient Jain scriptures and promote mother tongues in higher education. On the occasion, the PM was conferred with the title of 'Dharma Chakravarti', to which he said, "I do not consider myself worthy of it, but our tradition teaches us to accept what is given by saints as prasad. Therefore, I humbly accept this prasad of yours and dedicate it at the feet of Mother India." he also referred to the preceding speech of a Jain seer, noting that he was blessing " Operation Sindoor ". PM's mere mention of "Jo humein chhedega (those who trouble us)" brought massive cheers from the audience, but he did not dwell any further on the issue. Before Modi's address, Acharya Pragya Sagar Maharaj endorsed "Operation Sindoor", saying the PM demonstrated unprecedented leadership, conveying the message that India doesn't believe in conflicts but is capable of giving a befitting reply in case someone throws a challenge. Modi said Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj used to say, "life can become imbued with dharma only when life itself becomes service." "This thought is connected to the essence of Jain philosophy and India's consciousness. India prioritises service (and) humanity. When, for thousands of years, the world was trying to quell violence with violence, India taught the power of non-violence. We placed the spirit of serving humanity above all. "
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"If there are issues, they would be discussed privately": Shashi Tharoor
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 28 (ANI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who has highlighted the disagreements with the current party leadership, on Saturday responded to a social media post he made earlier amid the visible tensions between him and some in the party, saying that if there are issues he would discuss them privately. 'I am not going to get into political issues here. If there are issues to discuss, they would be discussed privately. When the time comes, I shall do so,' Tharoor, who was speaking at the Ahmedabad Management Association Program, told reporters. The Thiruvananthapuram MP earlier made a cryptic post after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge took a veiled jibe at Shashi Tharoor, saying he is in the Congress Working Committee 'because his English is very good'. Speaking at the event, the Congress MP discussed his recent visit to Russia and updated attendees on his meeting with counterparts, where he reiterated the message that the multi-party parliamentary delegation had already conveyed to the leaders here. 'I was in Russia on a previously planned engagement. It was also an opportunity to touch base with my counterparts. In India, our Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee covers both the Upper House and the Lower House. In many other countries, each House has a different head, so I saw my counterparts in the Upper House and the Lower House. I also saw my old friend, the Russian Foreign Minister, but by and large, our message has been consistent. Fortunately, the delegation sent by our government had already been there and met these people, so my task was not a difficult one to reinforce the message. Russia has been an old and trusted friend of India for some time, and it's always good to maintain these relationships. I also did some public events there, interviews and interaction with students. So it was that kind of visit. None of the dramatic sort of James Bond stuff that people have been speculating about, nothing of that nature, no secret missions there,' Tharoor said. During his visit to Russia, he met several top Russian leaders, including the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council (the Upper House) and also interacted with students. Tharoor's remarks regarding his intentions to discuss certain issues with respect to his party come amid an apparent unease in his ties with some in the party leadership. Kharge, who addressed a press conference slamming the Modi government, took another dig at Tharoor, saying, 'Some people say Modi first, the country later'. Tharoor had recently praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a newspaper article. 'Shashi Tharoor's English is very good, that's why he has been taken in the CWC (Congress Working Committee). I supported this,' Kharge said. 'But what I want to say is that all of us, the entire opposition, have come together and said we stand with our Army, our Army that is fighting, we are with them. We say nation first, but some people say Modi first and country later. What can we do about that?' he added. However, the Congress chief sidestepped a question on Congress taking action against Tharoor. He also brushed aside a question asking whether the party is afraid of taking action against Tharoor. Hours later, the Congress made a post on X that prominently carried a picture of a bird. 'Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one,' the post read. (ANI)
