Hindi Now Mandatory Alongside Marathi And English In Maharashtra's New School Curriculum For Classes 1-5

Mumbai: Post mandating Marathi in schools to preserve and promote the state's linguistic heritage, Maharashtra has now made Hindi a compulsory subject from Class 1. This comes as part of its phased rollout of a new curriculum aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. While NEP doesn't mandate Hindi, the state, beginning 2025–26 academic year, will maddate the subject for students of Classes 1-5 alongside Marathi and English. At the same time, the existing 10+2 education structure will be replaced by the NEP-recommended 5+3+3+4 model, marking a significant shift in the organisation and delivery of school education across the state.
The new language policy marks a major shift in early education. Students in Classes 1 to 5 will now study all three languages—Marathi, English, and Hindi—regardless of their medium of instruction. Hindi will be introduced as a third language in both Marathi and English medium schools, while other mediums will follow a similar pattern that ensures the inclusion of Marathi and English. From Class 6 onwards, language instruction will adhere to the State Curriculum Framework, which is in line with national policy directives.

Equally transformative is the adoption of the 5+3+3+4 structure, which is designed to accommodate the cognitive and developmental stages of learners from early childhood through to higher secondary education. Under this model, the Foundational Stage covers children aged 3 to 8 and includes three years of pre-primary (Balvatika 1, 2, 3) and Classes 1 and 2. The Preparatory Stage, for ages 8 to 11, includes Classes 3 to 5. This is followed by the Middle Stage, for ages 11 to 14, comprising Classes 6 to 8. Finally, the Secondary Stage spans ages 14 to 18 and includes Classes 9 to 12. These new terms—foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary—will replace the existing classifications of “Primary”, “Secondary”, and “Higher Secondary”.

Implementation of the new curriculum will begin with Class 1 in 2025–26 and progress gradually each year, culminating in full adoption across all classes by the 2028–29 academic year. The reform is being led by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), which has developed the new curriculum and syllabus based on the National Curriculum Frameworks issued by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

In preparation for this transition, textbooks are being revised to reflect Maharashtra’s linguistic and cultural context while remaining aligned with national standards. The development and approval of these materials are being carried out in collaboration with Balbharati to ensure readiness across all mediums of instruction. To assist students and teachers in adapting to the new system, bridging courses will be introduced at various stages.

The revised curriculum places a strong emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy, integrated learning, and reducing rote learning. Content volume will be decreased to promote conceptual clarity and encourage critical thinking. Assessments will also be restructured to capture holistic student development, with the introduction of a Holistic Progress Card (HPC) that evaluates both academic achievement and non-academic growth.

Alongside curriculum changes, reforms are also being introduced in teaching methodologies, classroom schedules, and teacher training. These are aimed at enhancing the overall quality of education and ensuring that educators are equipped to deliver the updated curriculum effectively.