The Maharashtra government has threatened to revoke the recognition of schools that do not teach the Marathi language. In its latest government resolution (GR) issued on February 28, the state has demanded strict implementation of its 2020 notification that states the Marathi language is a compulsory subject for schools across the board in Maharashtra. The government was prompted to issue the directive after it found many schools needed to comply.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had decided to make Marathi a compulsory subject in classes 1-10 in all schools. In their 2020 notice, they mandated teaching this language for all boards, including CBSE, ICSE, IB, and IGCSE boards. The regulation was to be applied in stages, with two classes each year—classes 1-6 in 2020–21, classes 2 and 7 in 2021–22, and so on—during the implementation period.
But, after the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, the decision was not executed effectively. Because of this, the government last year granted non-state board schools a one-time waiver in order to evaluate the topic for a particular class of students. For the last three school years, the pupils in class 8 in 2022–2023 would get grades rather than marks for their performance in the subject, even though these schools were still required to teach the language to every class. The final scores do not contain the grades A, B, C, and D.
After this, the state government learned that some schools misread the relaxation in the assessment method. They failed to teach Marathi sincerely, as the results of the test were very poor. Now, the schools have been made aware of a clause in the 2020 notification that states that failure to follow the mandatory Marathi policy will result in the schools' approval and no-objection certificates being revoked.
They have now been instructed to provide the school education department with specifics regarding their assessment of the Marathi performance of the children. Investigations into the schools' misuse of the one-time exemption granted to a specific group of students have also been requested by the divisional deputy directors of education.
This development represents a turning point in the history of education in Maharashtra. There is pressure on schools to match their educational offerings with the state's language policy, which is part of larger initiatives to support regional languages in India. The government's stance encourages educational institutions to give Marathi teaching a top priority by sending a clear message about its importance. The potential influence on Maharashtra's cultural preservation efforts grows as schools strive to comply with the mandate, emphasising the importance of education in maintaining linguistic history.
The Maharashtra government's unwavering commitment to Marathi education aims to uphold state identity and establish national standards for language policy. The success of these steps in improving Marathi language instruction will be closely monitored as events develop, and they may have an impact on similar laws in other states. In order to preserve regional languages and ensure their survival in an increasingly globalised world, this project is essential.
In light of worries over the Marathi language and culture losing ground in the school curriculum, the move emphasises the government's commitment to protecting them.
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