The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced a plan to implement the National Education Policy 2020 from the academic year 2025-’26, reported The Indian Express.

The plan makes it compulsory for students in Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools to learn Hindi as a third language. The policy’s three-language formula will replace the prevailing two-language structure in these schools.

Schools that teach in languages other than English and Marathi already follow the three-language formula, as they are required to offer English, Marathi and their medium of instruction.

A resolution issued by the school education department outlines the rollout of the “5+3+3+4” structure recommended under the National Education Policy.

This structure divides school education into four stages:

  • Stage 1 (Foundation): Three years of pre-primary education, followed by Classes 1 and 2.
  • Stage 2 (Preparatory): Classes 3 to 5.
  • Stage 3 (Middle): Classes 6 to 8.
  • Stage 4 (Secondary): Classes 9 to 12.

The education department’s Deputy Secretary Tushar Mahajan said in a notice: “This new policy restructures the previous 10+2+3 system into a 5+3+3+4 format, covering education from foundational to higher levels. The policy is being gradually implemented in the state. It is built on five pillars: Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability, and aligns with the [United Nations’] Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030.”

The phased implementation will begin with Class 1 in 2025-’26 and will cover all grades by 2028-’29. The state has said it plans to train 80% of teachers in new pedagogical methods by 2025 to support the policy transition, reported India Today.

As part of proposed changes in school curricula, textbooks of the Maharashtra State Education Board will now be based on content developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training with adaptations that reflect Maharashtra’s local context, especially in social sciences and languages. Class 1 textbooks are presently published by Balbharati, the state textbook bureau.

Director of the State Council for Educational Research and Training Rahul Rekhawar said: “The curriculum content for the first three years of pre-primary section is already prepared. It has to be implemented in association with the Women and Child Welfare department which regulates anganwadis. SCERT is going to hold teacher training workshops for anganwadis to effectively implement the new curriculum for pre-primary.”

While the curriculum will be introduced in stages, the SCERT has also prepared bridge courses for classes where students will transition directly from the old to the new curriculum.