Maharashtra Government Mandates Marathi Teaching in Classes 1-10; Non-Compliant Schools Face INR 1 Lakh Fine
Maharashtra government has intensified its enforcement of the state’s language laws, mandating that all schools from Classes 1 to 10 teach Marathi or face significant financial and administrative penalties. Under a new Government Resolution (GR) issued by the School Education Department, non-compliant institutions now face a fine of INR 1 lakh.
Mumbai, April 18: The Maharashtra government has decided to take strict action against schools that fail to comply with the rule mandating the teaching of Marathi as a compulsory subject from Classes 1 to 10. To enforce this, the School Education Department has laid out a detailed procedure and issued a Government Resolution (GR) in this regard. The GR underlines that Marathi has been a mandatory subject in all schools across the state since the 2020–21 academic year. This requirement was introduced following the enactment of the Maharashtra Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Marathi Language Act, 2020.
Schools found violating the rules will first be issued a notice, and it will be mandatory for them to submit an explanation within 15 days. If a satisfactory response is not received, a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh will be imposed on the concerned school management. Additionally, the school will be directed to introduce Marathi as a compulsory subject from the next academic year. Marathi Mandatory for Rickshaw, Taxi Drivers From May 1 on Maharashtra Day, Says State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik.
Furthermore, the school concerned will be given an opportunity to appeal against the decision within 30 days. If the order is not complied with even after the appeal, steps will be taken to cancel the school’s recognition. The final decision in such cases will be taken within three months after a hearing at the level of the School Education Commissioner. The department stated that this move will help ensure effective teaching of the Marathi language in all schools across the state.
Deepak Pawar, founder of the Marathi Abhyas Kendra and a leading advocate for Marathi-medium education, has called on the government to clarify the language’s status as a first, second, or third language. Pawar argued that the current grading system, which sees many schools teaching Marathi for only 50 marks, undermines its importance. He proposed that Marathi be made a mandatory 100-mark paper in Board exams to ensure schools prioritise it, warning that a lack of clear management could lead to significant curricular confusion. Mira Bhayandar Auto, Taxi Driver Verification: Marathi Test Made Mandatory, Maharashtra Govt Targets Licence Irregularities.
Earlier, Marathi was a compulsory subject up to class 8 in schools run by the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private board which conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education examination.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2026 09:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).