CBSE introduces Maithili in curriculum, CM hails decision

Patna: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially integrated Maithili into its curriculum from the 2026-27 academic session, a move welcomed by CM Samrat Choudhary, who described it as a historic step for preserving Mithila’s cultural and linguistic identity.

The rollout will begin from July 1, 2026, enabling students to study Maithili from Class I to the secondary level in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its emphasis on mother tongue-based learning.

The decision was confirmed through an official communication from Union minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary to Darbhanga MP Gopal Ji Thakur. In his May 19, 2026 letter, Chaudhary stated that CBSE had completed the formal process required for inclusion of Maithili in its curriculum and stressed the importance of providing students an opportunity to study their mother tongue in a structured manner.

The updated curriculum has already been uploaded on the CBSE Academic website, paving the way for schools to begin planning for implementation.

For the Mithila region, the decision is being viewed as a major recognition of linguistic identity. Maithili is the only Bihari language included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and its inclusion in mainstream national education has long been a demand of Maithili speakers.

Welcoming the move, Samrat said it would help preserve Mithila’s rich heritage through education and connect future generations with their roots.

Bihar legislative assembly Speaker Prem Kumar termed the decision “epoch-making” and said Maithili was not merely a language but also a carrier of Mithila’s culture, tradition and heritage.

BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi described the inclusion as recognition of Mithila’s cultural wealth and the sentiments of crores of Maithili-speaking people, calling it a historic step towards securing a dignified place for the language in the education system.