Is your child's school teaching Marathi? Why Maharashtra schools can no longer ignore Marathi language

Maharashtra School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, on Monday, said teaching of Marathi language and conduct of examination of the subject have been made mandatory in schools of all mediums across the state under the Maharashtra Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Marathi Language in Schools Act, 2020.

He warned that institutions that fail to comply with the government order could face cancellation of recognition.

Replying to a debate during Question Hour in the legislative assembly, Bhuse said Marathi has been made compulsory from Classes I to X in schools of all mediums in the state, and that schools must appoint qualified Marathi teachers. He said compliance would be monitored through regular inspections, he said.

"If a school does not implement the provisions, it will first be asked to rectify the violation. If it still fails to teach Marathi, a fine of up to ₹1 lakh can be imposed. If there is continued non-compliance, the school's recognition can also be cancelled under the government decision issued on April 17, 2026," the minister said.

During the discussion, BJP member Atul Bhatkalkar sought clarification on whether Marathi, though compulsory, would be treated like optional subjects, such as art and handicrafts or whether students would have to appear for examinations. He also asked whether Marathi exams would be conducted from Classes 1 to 10.

Bhuse clarified that Marathi would not remain merely a compulsory subject on paper and that exams for the subject will be conducted for every class.

"If any complaint is received that a school is not teaching Marathi, an inquiry will be conducted. If the violation is established, the school will first be issued a notice imposing a penalty of ₹1 lakh. If it still fails to comply, the government's new 2026 GR empowers us to cancel the school's recognition," he said.

"The Maharashtra government is fully committed to the preservation, promotion, and propagation of the Marathi language. A special inspection campaign will be launched across the state, reviewing the compulsory teaching of Marathi in all schools. If any violations are found in any school, strict action will be taken against the concerned officials," the minister added.

Bhuse said the provision to withdraw recognition has been introduced for the first time through the 2026 government resolution, making enforcement of the Marathi language policy more stringent.

Members urged the government to revive an international-standard Marathi education board, saying a similar board set up by a previous state government had later been dissolved.

Bhuse said the government would examine the proposal and take a positive decision after due consideration.

Opposition members questioned the effectiveness of the policy, asking how many schools had been found violating the rules, how many had been fined or derecognised, and why the government waited nearly five years after making Marathi compulsory in 2020 to introduce stricter enforcement measures.

Sardesai also sought the names of schools against which action had been taken and asked whether institutions that had received government land at concessional rates but failed to teach Marathi would face additional action.