Three-language panel submits report to Maharashtra government

The eight-member committee appointed by the Maharashtra government in 2025 to recommend on the implementation of three-language formula in primary education, submitted its report to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the State Secretariat on Monday (February 9, 2026). The committee, headed by economist Narendra Jadhav, gave a 10-minute presentation on it, and also submitted another report on how to introduce Artificial Intelligence and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in school education from Grade 1.

“I have suggested that the recommendations should be implemented from the coming academic year. The main report about the recommendations on three language formula consists of 65 pages, and 60 pages of annexture. The executive summary of the report is 23 pages. I am not at liberty to discuss our recommendations at this stage. But I will hold a press conference once the report is tabled before the cabinet and once I hear back from them,” Narendra Jadhav told The Hindu on Monday (February 9, 2026).

He also said that supplementary report on the use of AI in primary education was 25 pages long. Except Sadanand More and Bhushan Shukla, all other members of the committee were present during report submission.

“The committee has submitted its report to us. We will discuss it in the cabinet first. We will go over the recommendations and decide if anything needs to be modified. The Cabinet will give its suggestions. We will give a briefing about the contents of the report after that,” Chief Minsiter Devendra Fadnavis said.

Last year, the Maharashtra government had to scrap its decision of implementing three languages in primary education, after there was opposition from all quarters of the society about the compulsion of Hindi in Maharashtra in primary education. Children in the State learn three languages from Grade 5 as per the current education system. The government’s decision to bring the three-language policy in primary education was perceived as an imposition of Hindi.

While educationists had contested the government’s decision on the grounds that it will overburden children in primary education with an additional language when the State education system was not equipped to handle the current subjects in schools due to lack of teachers. Several cultural, social and political organisations had hit the ground against the government against the imposition of Hindi at the cost of Marathi.

Bowing to public pressure, after the government scrapped its decision, it appointed an eight-member committee under Narendra Jadhav to study the matter and to give its recommendations last year. The terms of reference had stated that the committee will study the Raghunath Mashelkar committee report which had advocated three-language policy in primary education, and give its suggestions. The government also said that the committee should look into the broad tenets of the National Education Policy.

Accordingly, amid opposition by several linguists and experts that the committee was being appointed under an economist, and not under a linguist or a specialist in child psychology, the committee had started its functioning. It had engaged with several political leaders and socio-cultural organisations, and held meetings in different parts of the State to gather suggestions. After receiving extensions, the committee submitted its report on Monday (February 10, 2026), a day when the results of the final phase of local body elections were declared.