**Subject: Summary of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4 Regarding Revocation of Three Language Policy**
This document summarizes the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4, answered on July 21, 2025, concerning the revocation of Government Resolutions (GRs) related to the Three Language Policy in Maharashtra and the options for third languages across Indian states.
The State Government of Maharashtra has revoked its GR dated April 16, 2025, and its corrigendum dated June 17, 2025, effectively discontinuing the implementation of the Three Language Policy from Class 1 onwards in State Board schools, as per GR dated June 30, 2025.
The response reaffirms the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's stance on the Three Language Formula (para 4.13), emphasizing its continued implementation while respecting constitutional provisions, regional and national aspirations, and the promotion of multilingualism and national unity. NEP 2020 allows for greater flexibility and stipulates that no language will be imposed on any state. The choice of the three languages rests with the states, regions, and students, provided that at least two are native to India. Students can change languages in Grade 6 or 7 if they demonstrate basic proficiency in three languages, including one Indian language at the literature level, by the end of secondary school.
The National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 aims for students to achieve independent reading and writing proficiency in three languages by the end of high school, with at least two being native to India. Language R1 should be the language of literacy acquisition (ideally the mother tongue or state language) with proficiency expected by age 8. Language R2, distinct from R1, should be mastered by age 11, and Language R3, different from R1 and R2, by age 14.
Finally, the response clarifies that, as education is on the Concurrent List of the Constitution, individual states and union territories have the autonomy to decide on the implementation of the Three Language Policy, in alignment with the spirit of NEP 2020.
Key Entities Referenced
Maharashtra: State in India that revoked Government Resolutions related to the Three Language Policy.
Three Language Policy: A language education formula implemented in schools in India, involving the study of three languages.
Hindi: Language that was introduced as the third language in primary schools in Maharashtra, but the resolution was revoked.
Jayant Chaudhary: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education.
National Education Policy NEP, 2020: A comprehensive framework for education in India, which addresses the Three Language Policy.
National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023: Aims to enable all students to learn at least three languages and achieve proficiency by the end of high school.
Constitution: Refers to the Indian Constitution, under which Education is a subject in the Concurrent List, giving States/Union Territories the authority to decide the implementation of the Three Language Policy.
Union Territories: The entity that along with the state governments decides the implementation of the Three Language Policy as per NEP 2020.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4
ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
Revocation of Three Language Policy
4. Shri Matheswaran V S:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that State Government of Maharashtra has revoked the Government
Resolutions (GRs) on the three language policy, introducing Hindi as the third language in
primary schools, if so, the details thereof; and
(b) the details of options of third language in all the States in the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b) The State Government of Maharashtra has informed that it has revoked its
Government Resolution (G.R.) dated 16.04.2025 and its corrigendum dated 17.06.2025
pertaining to the implementation of the Three Language Policy from Class 1 onwards in State
Board schools, by G.R. dated 30th June, 2025.
The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, inter-alia, at para 4.13, provides that the
“three-language formula will continue to be implemented while keeping in mind the
Constitutional provisions, aspirations of the people, regions, and the Union, and the need to
promote multilingualism as well as promote national unity. However, there will be a greater
flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any State. The
three languages learned by children will be the choices of States, regions, and of course the
students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India. In
particular, students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studyingmay do so in Grade 6 or 7, as long as they are able to demonstrate basic proficiency in three
languages (including one language of India at the literature level) by the end of secondary
school.”
The National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 aims to enable all our
students to learn at least three languages, so that students achieve independent reading and
writing proficiency in three languages by the end of high school. At least two of these three
Languages — R1, R2, and R3 — must be native to India.
R1 is the first language in which students learn literacy, ideally their mother tongue or,
if not feasible, the state language, with proficiency expected by age 8, R2 is the second
language distinct from R1, with proficiency to be achieved by age 11 and R3 is the third
language different from R1 and R2, with proficiency targeted by age 14.
Further, Education being a subject in the Concurrent list of the Constitution, it is up to
the respective States/Union Territories Governments to decide the implementation of the Three
Language Policy in the spirit of NEP 2020.
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