Maharashtra Rolls Out NEP 2020; Hindi Made Mandatory As Third Language For Classes 1–5 – News18

Last Updated:April 17, 2025, 11:01 IST

As part of its NEP 2020 rollout from the 2025-26 academic year, Maharashtra has made Hindi a compulsory third language for students in Classes 1 to 5.

Under the new curriculum implementation aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, studying Hindi as a third language will now be mandatory for students in Classes 1 to 5 in both Marathi and English-medium schools across Maharashtra. This marks a shift from the previous practice, where students were taught only two languages.

As per the State Curriculum Framework, students in Marathi and English-medium schools will now be required to study Hindi starting from Class 1. In schools with other mediums of instruction, Marathi and English will be mandatory, while the language of instruction will serve as the third language.

On Wednesday, the state school education department announced a phased plan for implementing the new curriculum framework, based on the NEP 2020 guidelines for school education. The Government Resolution (GR) issued in this regard clarifies that schools in Maharashtra following other mediums already implement the three-language formula, with English and Marathi as compulsory languages, along with the medium of instruction. In contrast, only two languages were taught in English and Marathi medium schools.

The GR also marks the beginning of the 5+3+3+4 structure for school education, as recommended under NEP 2020. This structure divides schooling into four stages: the first five years (3 years of pre-primary and Classes 1 and 2) will be the foundational stage, Classes 3 to 5 will be the preparatory stage, Classes 6 to 8 will constitute the middle school stage, and the final four years (Classes 9 to 12) will be secondary education.

The implementation of the new structure will start with Class 1 in the 2025-26 academic year. Additionally, the three-language formula will be phased in, starting with Class 1 in the same academic year.

Textbooks will be based on the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) framework, customised to reflect Maharashtra’s local context. For the upcoming academic year, Class 1 textbooks are being prepared by Balbharati, the state’s textbook bureau.

The policy also focuses on decentralised curriculum development, involving the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and Balbharati. Implementation will be monitored by various bodies, including a State Steering Committee chaired by the Minister of School Education.