The Maharashtra government has firmly reiterated its position that Marathi must be taught as a compulsory subject in all schools across the state, regardless of their educational board or medium of instruction. This clarification comes in direct response to concerns raised by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray regarding alleged non-compliance by several private educational institutions.
MNS Leader Flags Violations of Marathi Language Act
Earlier this month, Amit Thackeray addressed a formal letter to the state school education minister, highlighting a critical issue. Despite the enactment of the Marathi Language Act in 2020, which mandates the teaching of Marathi in all schools, Thackeray pointed out that numerous private and international board institutions—including those affiliated with CBSE, ICSE, and IB—were flouting this essential rule.
In his communication, Thackeray described the sidelining of Marathi in classrooms as a serious violation of Maharashtra's cultural identity. He urgently called for strict action against schools failing to comply with the legislation. "Marathi is not just a subject, it is the soul of Maharashtra. Denying students their right to learn the state language is unacceptable," Thackeray wrote. He advocated for thorough inspections and, where necessary, the withdrawal of recognition from non-compliant institutions.
Government's Official Response and Enforcement Mechanisms
In its official response, the state education department confirmed that the Marathi Language Act of 2020 unequivocally mandates the teaching and learning of Marathi across all schools, irrespective of their medium or management structure. The department emphasized that enforcement of this order is the responsibility of the deputy directors of education in each region, who are tasked with monitoring compliance.
The government noted that implementation instructions were initially issued starting in April 2020. Since then, repeated circulars have been sent to education officers and school authorities to ensure adherence to the mandate.
Education Official Reports High Compliance Rates
Supporting the government's stance, Rajesh Kankal, the deputy director of education for the Mumbai Region, provided insights from recent monitoring efforts. He reported that a survey conducted during the current academic year revealed largely high compliance with the Marathi language requirement.
"A survey done this academic year itself showed only two to three Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region that weren't teaching Marathi, which was dealt with," Kankal stated. He further underlined that the rule applies uniformly to all educational setups. "Every board, medium, aided or unaided has to compulsorily teach Marathi. My own son studies in an ICSE school in class X and he learns Marathi. If there are some errant schools who aren't teaching Marathi, we should be notified and we will look into the matter," he added.
MNS Student Wing Remains Sceptical and Plans Statewide Survey
Despite the government's assurances, the student wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena remains sceptical about the level of compliance. Santosh Gangrude, the general secretary of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena, expressed doubts based on their understanding of the situation.
"According to our understanding, there are many schools in Maharashtra which are not teaching Marathi and to prove this MNS plans to conduct a survey of schools across the state," Gangrude said. This indicates ongoing concerns and potential future actions to ensure that the Marathi language mandate is fully implemented in all educational institutions.
