Maharashtra Revises 3rd Language Notification: Hindi To Be Default Third Language?

The Maharashtra government has issued a new order making Hindi the third language for students in Classes 1–5 in Marathi and English medium schools. While Hindi is not technically "mandatory," it can only be replaced if at least 20 students in a class opt for another Indian language. The move has reignited the debate around linguistic imposition, with strong pushback from regional parties and language rights activists, who say this is a backdoor attempt to promote Hindi at the cost of regional identity. But the government insists it's about "national integration," not imposition -while critics argue that the 20-student clause makes opting out practically impossible in most schools.