Maharashtra Drops Mandatory Hindi for Std I & II in Revised Timetable; Focus Shifts to Marathi, English and Enrichment Learning
Mumbai/Pune, 4th July 2025: The Maharashtra government has released a revised timetable for Standards I and II, officially dropping the earlier proposal to make Hindi a compulsory subject, following public criticism and pushback from educators and parents.
The updated academic structure, issued by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), retains Marathi and English as the only mandatory languages for the foundational grades. It also introduces an ‘Additional Enrichment Period’, which will be used for remedial teaching, skill-building sessions, or early preparation for competitive learning.
Backlash Forces Rollback
The decision comes after widespread criticism of a June 18 circular that sought to implement sweeping changes, including the imposition of Hindi. Following the backlash, SCERT has retracted many of those contentious changes.
Arts and PE Hours Restored
Subjects like Art and Physical Education, which were severely reduced in the earlier version of the timetable, have now been restored to their original durations—122 hours for Art and 61 hours for Physical Education, reversing the earlier cuts to 81 and 40 hours respectively.
Additionally, class periods will now run between 45 to 60 minutes, in line with National Curriculum Framework (NCF) recommendations, instead of the previously proposed 35–45 minutes.
Flexible Structure, But No Reduction in Total Hours
While the revised guidelines provide schools with a model weekly timetable, they allow flexibility in daily subject sequencing and scheduling. However, schools are not permitted to reduce the total number of instructional hours per week or per year.
The newly added Additional Enrichment Period is meant to function outside the regular timetable. Its purpose is to support students through additional learning activities, particularly for those who need academic reinforcement or skill enhancement.
The revised policy also introduces 10 annual “bagless days” aimed at encouraging experiential and hands-on learning.
Experts Raise Concerns Over Long Hours
Despite the rollbacks, concerns about longer school days still linger. Mahendra Ganpule, former president of the Maharashtra School Principals’ Association, cautioned,
“In schools that operate in double shifts, this extension could mean students leaving campus as late as 6:45 pm. We must carefully weigh learning outcomes against the physical and emotional toll on young children.”
Phased Implementation from 2025–26
The new timetable will be implemented for Standard I starting in the academic year 2025–26. Its extension to Standard II will depend on the availability of newly printed textbooks.
Education officials have said the changes aim to balance academic rigour with student well-being, while aligning more closely with national education standards. Further feedback from schools and teachers will continue to shape how the revised structure functions in practice.
