Ajit Pawar Defends Mandatory Hindi in Schools, Assures Marathi Will Always Be First Priority in Maharashtra
The Deputy CM urged critics not to politicize the three-language policy under NEP 2020, reaffirming Marathi’s cultural and linguistic primacy in the state.
Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has strongly defended the state government’s decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language for students in Classes 1 to 5 across Marathi and English-medium schools. He dismissed the opposition to the move as politically motivated and lacking in substance.
Speaking at the inauguration of a national memorial dedicated to the Chapekar Brothers in Pimpri Chinchwad on Friday, Pawar addressed the controversy, stating, “Marathi is our mother tongue and will always have first preference in the state.”
Targeting political parties that have opposed the policy, Pawar said, “Some people are stirring up controversy over Hindi because they have no real issues to talk about. Just like English is widely used, Hindi too is spoken in many states. I do not wish to enter the debate on whether Hindi is the ‘Rashtra Bhasha’.”
STORY | Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) slams opposition to Hindi in schools, says Marathi will remain top priority
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The Maharashtra government’s implementation of the three-language formula is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It marks a shift from the earlier two-language system to a phase-wise curriculum that includes Hindi, Marathi, and English from early schooling years.
The decision has drawn criticism from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), with party chief Raj Thackeray accusing the Centre of attempting to “Hindi-fy” the state. The Congress has also expressed concerns, calling the move an imposition of Hindi on regional identity.
Also read: Maharashtra Makes Hindi a Mandatory Language for Classes 1–5 Under NEP 2020 Rollout
In response, Pawar emphasized the equal importance of all three languages while reiterating Marathi’s central place in Maharashtra’s education and culture. “Marathi must remain strong and continue to flourish,” he said.
Pawar also credited the Narendra Modi-led central government for recognizing Marathi as a classical language—an acknowledgment long awaited in Delhi. “The NDA government showed the courage to give Marathi its rightful status,” he noted.
He further revealed plans for the construction of a dedicated Marathi Bhasha Bhavan in Mumbai to support and promote the language’s development.
The new language policy is being introduced in a phased manner by the state’s school education department as part of the broader NEP 2020 framework.