India, April 22 -- The Maharashtra government on Tuesday issued a stay on its order to make Hindi mandatory as a third language in Classes 1 to 5 across Marathi and English medium schools under the state board.

The stay ensures that while the three-language formula will still be applicable for students from Class 1 onwards, they will not be required to choose Hindi specifically as their third language.

The decision comes amid a language row in the state over concerns of Hindi imposition. The three-language formula under NEP 2020 makes it mandatory for every school student to study at least three languages.

In an earlier government resolution Hindi had been made a mandatory third language, triggering backlash from Opposition parties and...