India, July 6 -- In a major policy reversal, the Maharashtra State School Education Department has dropped Hindi from the Class 1 curriculum, following widespread backlash against its inclusion as a compulsory third language. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has now released a revised timetable confirming that only Marathi and English will be mandatory for students in Classes 1 and 2.

The earlier decision to introduce Hindi from Class 1 had drawn sharp criticism from educationists, language experts, activists, and political leaders, who argued that imposing a third language at such an early stage was detrimental to learning outcomes, especially in a multilingual state like Maharashtra.

Amid rising protests,...