Marathi mandatory in Maharashtra, not Hindi: Minister Ashish Shelar
Mumbai: Mumbai BJP chief and Maharashtra Minister of Cultural Affairs and Information Technology Ashish Shelar on Monday claimed the ongoing controversy over the introduction of Hindi as a third language in Marathi and English schools for classes 1 to 5 is unrealistic, unreasonable and illogical.
He clarified that Marathi is mandatory and not Hindi in all medium schools. Ministers clarification comes amid strong protests by the opposition and various organisations accusing the state government of betrayal by imposition of Hindi as a third language.
'In Maharashtra, only Marathi has been made compulsory. Hindi has not been introduced as a mandatory third language from Class 1. In fact, our government has removed the earlier compulsion of Hindi from Classes 5 to 8, and instead, made it available as an optional alternative -- alongside several other language choices. Therefore, the ongoing discussion around the issue is unrealistic, unreasonable and illogical,' said minister Shelar.
"We are staunch supporters of the Marathi language and equally committed to the interests of students," asserted the minister at the press conference. Shelar said: "We welcome the discussions. Criticism arising from misunderstanding is acceptable in a democracy. Some people are also taking to protests, which is their right."
Minister Shelar clarified the misconceptions and false narratives surrounding the introduction of Hindi as a third language.
He emphasised: "The BJP has always been a strong proponent of Marathi and student welfare. In Maharashtra, only Marathi has been made mandatory. No other language has been imposed. Previously, Hindi was compulsory from Class 5 to 8, but this mandate has now been removed. Hindi is now only offered as one of the optional third language choices from Class 1 to 5, and with flexibility in selection."
Shelar explained that 15 languages have been made available under the third-language option, and Hindi is just one of them, proposed considering the availability of teaching resources and learning material.
'A comprehensive study was conducted on this matter. A committee of government officers and over 450 experts from the linguistic and academic fields deliberated for over a year and prepared a draft. This draft was opened for public suggestions and objections, receiving over 3,800 responses. After analysing them, a steering committee submitted a report to the government recommending Hindi as one of the optional third-language choices,' said the minister.
He pointed out that the National Education Policy (NEP) does not mandate any particular third language but recommends choosing it as per need.
"Had the BJP intended to impose Hindi or any language, we would have done so when finalising the NEP. Hence, the accusations made against our intentions are completely baseless and irrational," he said.
Referring to the historical context, he said: "The three-language formula was introduced in 1968. The 1964 and 1966 education commission reports recommended learning Hindi as the third language for national integration. Hence, the current debate is unreasonable."
He added that there are 9,68,776 students enrolled in Class 1 under the Maharashtra State Board, of which 10 per cent study in non-Marathi medium schools.
An additional 10 per cent are enrolled in CBSE and other boards. Due to the 2020 mandate for Marathi, these 20 per cent of students now study three languages -- English, their native language and Marathi.
"If we decide to limit students from Marathi-medium schools to just two languages, it will lead to academic inequality. The new NEP emphasises skill development and diverse learning, awarding extra academic credits for subjects like arts and languages, which are counted in the Academic Bank of Credits. Students who don't learn a third language will fall behind by at least 10 per cent in earning these credits," Shelar said.
He further said that national-level competitive exams, though conducted in 22 languages, often expect a third language. If Maharashtra doesn't offer this option, our students will be disadvantaged compared to those from other states.
He also made it clear that he would not be responding to any political questions during the press conference, which was specifically held to present the facts on the language issue and its relevance to students' welfare. He added that political responses to allegations can be given later as needed.
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