Mumbai has the highest number of auto-rickshaw drivers in Maharashtra yet to complete the state’s mandatory Marathi language training, with 9,196 drivers still awaiting certification after the August 15, 2026 deadline.
Across Maharashtra, nearly 25,000 auto-rickshaw drivers remain without certification under the Marathi proficiency programme. Of these, 7,750 drivers failed the language assessment and will have to undergo additional training before appearing for the test again, while 17,427 drivers are still waiting to complete their training.
Mumbai has emerged as the biggest centre of pending trainees, accounting for 9,196 of the 17,427 drivers who have yet to complete the programme.
Thane has the second-highest number at 4,871, followed by Navi Mumbai with 1,400, Palghar with 350 and other parts of Maharashtra with 1,610.
The figures underline the scale of the challenge in Mumbai, where a large number of auto-rickshaw drivers are yet to complete the Marathi language requirement.
The 7,750 drivers who failed the Marathi proficiency assessment will not be required to abandon the process. Officials said they will receive additional learning before being allowed to take the assessment again.
The extra training sessions are expected to be completed within the next one to two weeks, after which the drivers can appear for another assessment.
Authorities are also expected to conduct additional batches for drivers who could not finish their training before the deadline.
The Marathi training programme, organised by Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in association with literary organisations, received 1,65,600 applications from drivers across Maharashtra.
So far, 1,40,423 drivers have completed the training and passed the Marathi proficiency test.
However, the number of pending cases remains significant, particularly in Mumbai.
The state government had set August 15, 2026, as the deadline for autorickshaw and taxi drivers to acquire the required Marathi language proficiency.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had made it clear that the deadline would not be extended.
With the deadline now over, officials are focusing on completing training for drivers who remain pending and arranging repeat assessments for those who failed.
The requirement follows amendments to the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules in 2026, under which an authorised driver of a motor cab fitted with an electronic meter must have a working knowledge of Marathi.
If a driver is found without the required language proficiency, the licensing authority can issue a notice allowing one month to acquire the necessary knowledge.
If the driver still fails to comply, the authority may, after recording reasons in writing, suspend the authorisation on the driver's licence for up to three months.
For Mumbai's thousands of pending auto-rickshaw drivers, the immediate priority is completing the required training and obtaining certification. Drivers who failed the assessment will have another opportunity after further learning, while those who could not complete the course will need to finish the remaining sessions.
With 9,196 Mumbai drivers still awaiting training, the city is likely to remain the main focus of the state’s efforts to complete the Marathi proficiency programme in the coming weeks.