The Maharashtra government on Wednesday stayed the proposed Hindi-language examinations for its gazetted and non-gazetted officers and employees following strong opposition from Marathi groups and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant announced that the examinations scheduled for June 28 had been put on hold and said the government would review whether such examinations were necessary at all. “If it is found that there is no need for such an examination, then it will never be conducted again,” Samant said. The controversy erupted after a circular was issued by the Maharashtra government’s Language Directorate on April 9, announcing Hindi lower grade and higher grade examinations for gazetted and non-gazetted government officers and employees at divisional centres in Mumbai , Pune , Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on June 28. Government departments were instructed to submit applications through department or office heads before May 20.…