01 September,2026 12:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Hindi language examination for Maharashtra government employees officially stands cancelled. Representational Pic
The Maharashtra government has formally cancelled the Hindi language examination conducted by the Directorate of Languages for government employees, citing the state's official use of Marathi and the declining relevance of Hindi in government functioning.
The Marathi Language Department issued a Government Resolution (GR) on Monday, August 31, stating that the examination, which was introduced before the formation of Maharashtra, was no longer justified under the present administrative system.
According to the GR, the erstwhile Government of Bombay had made it compulsory for government employees to pass a Hindi language examination to facilitate the use of Hindi for official purposes. However, after Maharashtra was formed, Marathi became the language used for official government work.
The government said that, considering the provisions of the Maharashtra Official Languages Act and the current nature of administrative functioning, continuing the Hindi examination was no longer necessary.
The GR noted that the use of Hindi in government functioning had become "extremely negligible", while correspondence with the Union government and other states was primarily conducted in English.
The decision to cancel the examination had been under consideration by the government and has now been formally notified through the August 31 GR.
The order states that the Hindi language examination conducted by the Directorate of Languages, previously conducted by the erstwhile designated board, stands cancelled.
All earlier government resolutions, circulars, orders and government letters related to the examination have also been superseded.
Importantly, the GR will take effect retrospectively from May 7, 2026, the date on which the Hindi language examination was suspended.
The resolution was issued by the Marathi Language Department at Mantralaya and digitally signed by Desk Officer Vaishali Lahu Waghmare on Monday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last week decided to constitute a high-level committee to implement comprehensive, secure, and consensus-driven reforms in the recruitment examination process for various state services.
The committee was directed to visit every revenue division in the state, interact directly with students, and submit a consolidated report outlining measures for a systemic overhaul of the examination process.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who was also present at the meeting, offered several key suggestions.
Fadnavis issued the directions during a specially convened meeting at his official residence, Varsha.
The decision comes amid recent protests at Jantar Mantar over the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak and the ongoing student agitation in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
