Raj Thackeray-led party spokesperson says only Marathi, English should be mandatory for schoolkids
Deepak Pawar (right) and other members of Marathi Study Centre at the Mumbai Press Club in Fort on May 1. Pic/By special arrangement
The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is now up in arms against the three-language formula proposed under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. Earlier, the party opposed the state government’s decision to make Hindi a compulsory language in schools across Maharashtra, prompting the government to amend its decision and make Hindi optional instead. Apart from political parties, various organisations have red-flagged the three-language format.
Last week, while addressing a function on the Marathi language in the suburbs, MNS spokesperson Hemant Kamble fired a fresh salvo against the state government for adopting the three-language formula. “We not only oppose Hindi as a compulsory language but also disapprove of the government’s decision to make three languages mandatory under the NEP, 2020,” he said.
As per the NEP, at least two of the tongues must be native to India. In short, in Maharashtra, Marathi being the first language, students will have to select an Indian language as the second subject and English as the third.
Kamble told mid-day, “The two-language format is an ideal educational method. The first language should be that of the state, and the second should be Englis,h as it serves as the primary language of communication. Including a third language in the syllabus only burdens students unnecessarily.” Southern states, especially Tamil Nadu, have also been opposing the three-language format.
Besides political outfits, groups such as the Marathi Study Centre, a non-profit organisation working for the preservation and promotion of the Marathi language, have voiced support for the two-language format and declared that any attempt to impose the three-language format would be opposed by them. “We are speaking to all the organisations concerned to unite over this issue. Soon, our representation will explain to the government how the two-language format is the right method,” Deepak Pawar, president of the Marathi Study Centre, told mid-day.
On May 1 at the Mumbai Press Club, the Marathi Study Centre organised an informal discussion on the issue. Around 22 different organisations from the education sector participated and launched an online signature campaign to oppose the policy.
During the meeting, Marathi Study Centre members alleged that the government initially announcing Hindi as a compulsory language and later rolling back the decision, making it optional, was an eyewash. “The government has given verbal clarification, but no written order has been issued or published, thus leaving scope to doubt the intention of the government,” a member of the group said during the meeting.
Controversial resolution
Last month, the administration came out with a government resolution (GR) making Hindi a compulsory language for Std I to V students across the state. However, following strong opposition from the MNS, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and other organisations, the Mahayuti government, comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, decided to withdraw the order, and made Hindi an optional language.
Addressing the media, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse stated that getting qualified teachers for a third language, apart from Hindi, was a big challenge. However, Kamble said, “We are opposing the three-language format, and the government is admitting it’s facing challenges finding teachers for languages other than Hindi. So why have this confusion in the education system and make children and parents suffer? Rather than creating chaos, it is better to continue with the existing system.”
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