Marathi actor and director hemant dhome questioning about the hindi language complication in school

The Maharashtra state government’s decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language in Marathi and English medium schools for Classes 1 to 5 has stirred significant public discourse. Prominent Marathi actor and director Hemant Dhome has now joined the ongoing conversation, voicing his sharp criticism of the policy through a social media post that has gone viral.

According to the latest government resolution (GR), Hindi will be taught as a mandatory third language in Marathi and English medium schools. While the policy permits students to opt for another Indian language as a third language, this option is conditional—it requires a minimum of 20 interested students per class. If the number falls short, the chosen language will be taught online, raising concerns about access and equality.

The policy has sparked mixed reactions, with educators and cultural voices expressing concern over its impact on regional languages and cognitive load on young students.

Reacting to the policy on social media, Dhome posted:

“For all those who think Hindi has been withdrawn—please read the GR carefully. Hindi is to be the third language. For those who want to learn another language, at least 20 interested students are required. (What kind of rule is this?)”

He went on to criticize the apparent pressure the policy places on young students, questioning its necessity:

“How much stress are we planning to put on the mind of a first grader? And why? Why is there no emphasis on strengthening the mother tongue?”

Dhome also condemned what he described as the covert imposition of a ‘one nation, one language’ ideology, asserting:

“If the aim is to impose ‘one country, one language’ from behind the scenes, this forced compulsion must be strongly condemned! Now you decide—what exactly is becoming elite?”