MUMBAI, Sept. 18 -- The first meeting of the committee formed to review Maharashtra's three-language policy was held on Wednesday, where members mapped out the next steps in charting the policy's future in schools. The eight-member panel, headed by educationist professor Narendra Jadhav, former member of the Planning Commission, was constituted on June 30 this year, following widespread protests against the state government's move to make Hindi compulsory from Class 1. During the meeting, the committee decided to launch a dedicated website and circulate a questionnaire aimed at experts and the general public. The objective is to gather diverse views on how the three-language formula should be implemented across Maharashtra. Professor Jadhav told reporters at Mantralaya that the committee will travel across the state from October 8, covering major cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Nagpur, and Solapur. "We will spend entire days interacting with individuals, teachers' groups, parent associations, activists, and various organisations to collect their opinions," he said. All feedback will be compiled into a report to be submitted to the state government by December 5. "The goal is not to impose our opinion but to listen to all stakeholders," Jadhav said. The committee also plans to consult political leaders across parties. "I will meet Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray and others who opposed the policy to understand their viewpoints," he added. Against the backdrop of the National Education Policy and the State Curriculum Framework, the School Education Department had, on April 16, announced its decision to make Hindi, along with Marathi and English, compulsory in schools from Class 1 to 5. Several organisations and political parties had opposed this, prompting the Thackeray brothers to unite after nearly two decades to protest the move. The government later withdrew the resolution following strong backlash. Jadhav emphasised the need to balance public sentiment, academic inputs, and national priorities. "Every language matters, but we must also focus on national integration and global communication," he said. "No other country in the world has such linguistic diversity," he added. The committee plans to send questionnaires to academics, journalists, social organisations, and others. Combined with views gathered during the state visits, these will shape the final recommendations....