Three language policy: Another month’s extension granted for state committee to submit report

Subsequently a Government Resolution (GR) was issued in this regard stating that the extension was granted following a request for the same submitted by the Committee, which requires more time to deliberate and analyse. The GR also states that the committee received great response through online platforms as well as via in-person sessions held in different parts of the state.

Although the first deadline for the committee was December 4, it was extended by a month via a GR issued on December 15, which stated that the scope of the work undertaken by the committee was being considered, particularly involving collation of public opinion which required the members to travel to various parts of the state to conduct gatherings of stakeholders. As per this extension, the committee was expected to submit a report on January 4 this year. But according to the latest GR, the committee wrote to the government requesting for another month’s extension on January 2.

Maharashtra’s three language policy for school education is pending from June 2025, when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced that a committee will be formed in this regard which will be led by Dr Jadhav. This announcement came in response to widespread criticism of the state’s move to mandate Hindi as a third language in Marathi and English medium schools under the Maharashtra State Board. Even as the announcement was made in June, the eight-member expert committee was eventually finalised only in September and was given a tenure of three months to submit recommendations.

Subsequently, the committee declared that it will gather public opinion from across Maharashtra to finalise recommendations. Accordingly, a dedicated website was launched for individuals to submit their opinions, whereas the committee toured to different parts of the state to meet stakeholders including teachers, parents, academic institutions, language activists as also political leaders to gauge public opinion regarding the three-language policy.

Self-defense training

Girl students in Maharashtra government schools will be given self-defense training, said the state’s school education minister Dada Bhuse on Thursday. “We will begin with self-defense training to select girls and teachers. They will be trained by experts with an aim to become trainers at their individual school level. This first phase of training will begin in February. And from next academic year, they will begin self-defense training for all girl students,” said Bhuse. He also said that there are plans to start military training in schools with the help of associations of former soldiers. The idea he said is to inculcate discipline among school students.