Maharashtra mandates Marathi for Classes 1 to 10 across all schools

Maharashtra has made Marathi a compulsory subject for students from Classes 1 to 10 in all schools across the state, with the government warning of strict action against institutions that fail to comply with the directive.

State Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced the decision during the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, saying all affiliated schools have been instructed to ensure the mandatory teaching of Marathi.

The announcement came after BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar raised concerns in the Assembly over reports that several schools were not implementing the state's Marathi language requirement.

Legislators also argued that existing penalties for violations were too lenient and that enforcement had been inadequate.

Addressing the House, Bhuse said the state government would intensify monitoring through a statewide inspection drive.

"The Maharashtra government is fully committed to the preservation, promotion, and propagation of the Marathi language. He stated that a special inspection campaign will be launched across the state, reviewing the compulsory teaching of Marathi in all schools."

The minister said authorities would take action wherever violations are detected.

"If any violations are found during the inspections, strict action will be taken against the concerned schools and officials," the minister said.

Bhuse also highlighted changes to school curriculum related to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, saying the government has significantly expanded the historical content included in textbooks.

According to the minister, textbooks of some education boards had previously devoted only around one-and-a-half columns to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

He said the content has now been expanded to 22 pages with the approval of the Central Government, allowing students to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Maratha ruler's life and contributions.

The minister reiterated that the state remains committed to strengthening Marathi while ensuring students learn about the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

He added that all schools must strictly follow the prescribed regulations and warned that non-compliance would not be tolerated.

The announcement comes a day after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released detailed guidelines for the phased implementation of the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Under the CBSE framework, the current Class 10 batch will continue with the existing two-language system, while students currently in Classes 7, 8, and 9 will not have to appear for a Class 10 board examination in the third language.

Students in these transitional batches who have already chosen two foreign languages will be allowed to continue with them while adding one Bhartiya Bhasha.

CBSE has also said it will provide grade-appropriate learning resources to support implementation of the revised language policy.