Maharashtra Set To Witness Statewide Protest Against Compulsory Third Language Policy

Under the leadership of the Marathi Abhyas Kendra and with the support of various like-minded individuals and organisations, a statewide protest will soon be launched in Maharashtra opposing the mandatory inclusion of a third language in school curricular. The movement will be rolled out in phases across the entire state.

From Awareness to Action

Until now, this campaign had focused primarily on creating awareness about the issue. However, it will now take the form of a direct action movement. To coordinate efforts, a “Coordination Committee” has been formed, and its list of members has been released.

Members of the Coordination Committee

  1. Dr. Deepak Pawar – President, Marathi Abhyas Kendra (Convenor)

  2. Ramesh Panse – GramMangal

  3. Chinmayi Sumeet – Goodwill Ambassador for Marathi Schools

  4. Girish Samant – Education Expert and Institution Head

  5. Dr. Prakash Parab – Linguist

  6. Sujata Patil – Principal, Prayogshil School

  7. Vinodini Kalgai – Principal, Prayogshil School

  8. Mahendra Ganpule – Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary Principals’ Association

  9. Ravindra Fadnavis – Maharashtra State Education Institutions Federation

  10. Dr. Shripad Bhalchandra Joshi – Maharashtra Cultural Front

  11. Kautikrao Patil – Marathwada Sahitya Parishad

  12. Kishor Darak – Education Expert

  13. Sushil Shejule – Aamhi Shikshak Social Organization

  14. Madhav Suryawanshi – Education Development Forum

  15. Govardhan Deshmukh – President, Marathi Integration Committee

  16. Sandeep Kamble – President, Yuva Shaikshanik va Samajik Nyay Maharashtra

  17. Prasad Gokhale – “Marathi Schools Must Be Preserved” Facebook Group

  18. Bhausaheb Chaskar – Coordinator, ATF

  19. Prathamesh Patil – Journalist

  20. Chandan Tahsildar – Marathi Bola Movement

  21. Anand Bhandare – Secretary

Raj Thackeray Criticises the Policy

MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) chief Raj Thackeray has also strongly criticised the government’s decision. He raised pointed questions, stating, “Hindi is not a national language. It is a language like any other in India. So why is it being made compulsory from the first grade? Why are children being burdened with three languages at once? Under whose pressure is the government making this decision?”

What Lies Ahead

As the Coordination Committee mobilises its network, the protest is expected to gather momentum and expand gradually across Maharashtra, challenging the state’s third language mandate and advocating for educational choices that respect regional linguistic priorities.

 

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