India, June 19 -- In a significant shift in language education policy, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced that Hindi is no longer compulsory for school students as the third language. Under the revised state government resolution (GR), students in Marathi and English medium schools can now opt for any Indian language as their third language from Classes 1 to 5.

Speaking to reporters in Dehu, Fadnavis clarified that while Marathi remains compulsory, Hindi will be offered as a default option, not a mandatory one. If a group of at least 20 students in a class prefers another Indian language, schools will be required to accommodate the request by appointing a teacher or providing online classes if needed.

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