The trilingual policy may do more harm than good, particularly in the formative years of a child’s education.
The Maharashtra government’s decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language from Classes 1 to 5 has triggered concerns among educators, child psychologists, and parents. Experts warn that imposing three languages from the start of formal education could adversely affect children’s mental and emotional development. Psychologists recommend that early education should focus primarily on the mother tongue or home language only.
The state government issued a Government Resolution (GR) on Thursday, stating that Hindi will be introduced in Class 1 from the 2025–26 academic year, and gradually rolled out across other classes by 2028–29. Marathi and English are already mandatory languages in the state’s Marathi and English-medium schools, meaning children will be expected to study three languages from Class 1.
Speaking to The Times of Mumbai, Krupa Rathod, Child and Clinical Psychologist at Saarthi, said that the move could burden children aged 5 to 10, who are still in the early stages of language acquisition.
“At that age, children are only beginning to build a foundation in one language. Adding two more simultaneously—especially in different scripts—can overwhelm their cognitive and emotional capacities,” she said.
Rathod referred to Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, explaining that children in the preoperational stage (ages 2–7) think symbolically but lack logical reasoning. She added that reading and writing in Devanagari (Hindi and Marathi) and Roman (English) scripts also require fine motor skills that are still developing.
Risk to Confidence and Learning Motivation
Psychologists believe that early exposure to three formal languages can have a negative effect on a child’s self-esteem and motivation to learn.
“Struggling to keep pace with academic expectations may lead children to feel they are not good enough, which can impact their overall learning confidence,” Rathod said.
She cited research by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which shows that handwriting-related motor skills mature significantly between ages 5 and 7. Introducing formal writing in three scripts during this period could lead to fatigue, frustration, and disinterest in learning.
Additional Pressure on Parents and Teachers
The language mandate is also likely to increase pressure on parents and teachers. Non-Hindi-speaking families may have to seek external academic support. Teachers, on the other hand, will be tasked with balancing three languages within limited instructional time while maintaining quality learning.
“Language learning must not come at the cost of a child’s psychological well-being,” Rathod said. “Even the NEP emphasizes learning in the mother tongue during early childhood. That principle should guide implementation.”
Call for Gradual and Child-Centric Approach
While multilingualism is encouraged under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, experts argue that implementation should be gradual and developmentally appropriate.
Psychologists recommend that early education should focus primarily on the mother tongue or home language, with other languages introduced slowly through oral activities such as songs and stories.
Expert Recommendations:
- Prioritise learning in the mother tongue until at least Class 3.
- Introduce additional languages through oral methods before formal reading and writing.
- Avoid grading language subjects before Class 3; use descriptive assessments such as Emerging, Developing, and Proficient.
- Train teachers in multilingual and play-based teaching strategies.
The trilingual policy may do more harm than good, particularly in the formative years of a child’s education.
While the government’s intention to promote multilingualism is in line with national education reforms, child development experts stress the need to align such policies with the psychological and emotional needs of young learners.
