Maharashtra Makes Marathi Compulsory From Class 1 To 10, Schools To Face Action For Non-Compliance

Mumbai: Maharashtra Education Minister Dada Bhuse on Monday announced that Marathi will be taught as a compulsory subject from Classes 1 to 10 in every school across the state, irrespective of board or medium. Addressing the Legislative Assembly during the Monsoon Session, he stressed that the government would initiate strong measures against any institution failing to adhere to the directive.

The announcement followed concerns raised by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, who pointed out that several schools were still not teaching Marathi despite existing rules. The legislators also pressed the government on whether penalties imposed on non-compliant schools were actually being enforced. Responding to the House, Minister Bhuse asserted that all affiliated schools had been instructed to ensure Marathi is taught as a mandatory language.

“The Maharashtra government is committed to the preservation, promotion and propagation of the Marathi language. A statewide inspection drive will be conducted to review compliance in all schools,” Bhuse informed the Assembly. He added that the schools and officials found flouting the order during these checks would face strict action, reiterating that non-compliance will not be tolerated.

Expanded Content On Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj In Textbooks

The Maharashtra Education Minister also informed the House that the state has enhanced coverage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in school textbooks. According to the minister, material on the Maratha ruler, which previously occupied around one-and-a-half columns in certain education board textbooks, has now been expanded to 22 pages after receiving approval from the central government.

He said that the revised content is intended to give pupils a fuller understanding of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life, governance and contributions. “All schools are expected to follow the prescribed regulations,” Bhuse stated, linking the curricular change to the bigger push for cultural and linguistic grounding in education.

Phased Roll-Out Of CBSE’s 3-Language Formula

The minister’s statement came a day after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) laid out phased implementation of the 3-language formula nationwide. Under the new CBSE policy, the current batch of Class 10 students will remain unaffected, and similarly, students presently in Classes 7, 8 and 9 will not be required to sit a board examination in a third language when they reach Class 10.

The CBSE clarified that the students in these batches who are already studying two foreign languages may continue with them while adding one Indian language. The board added that grade-appropriate learning material for the new language policy will be introduced in a phased manner. Bhuse’s announcement aligned with the national framework while reinforcing Maharashtra’s specific mandate on Marathi.

The state’s inspection drive is expected to begin shortly, with district education officers tasked with verifying compliance across government, aided and private unaided schools. The officials stressed that the move seeks to ensure uniformity in language education while strengthening regional identity through the curriculum.