Mumbai: Maharashtra government has reiterated that Marathi is a compulsory subject across all schools in the state — irrespective of board or medium — responding to a complaint raised by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray over alleged non-compliance by several private institutions.In a letter addressed to the state school education minister earlier this month, Thackeray had flagged that despite the Marathi Language Act, 2020, which makes Marathi subject mandatory in all schools, several private and international board institutions, including those affiliated to CBSE, ICSE and IB, were flouting the rule. He had termed the sidelining of Marathi in classrooms a serious violation of the state’s cultural identity and urged strict action against errant schools. “Marathi is not just a subject, it is the soul of Maharashtra. Denying students their right to learn the state language is unacceptable,” Thackeray had written, calling for inspections and withdrawal of recognition, where required.In its official response, the education department confirmed that the Marathi Language Act, 2020 mandates the teaching and learning of Marathi in all schools across mediums and managements. It added that enforcement of the order rests with the deputy directors of education in each region, who are responsible for monitoring compliance. Govt said implementation instructions were issued from April 2020 onwards, followed by repeated circulars to education officers and school authorities.Backing the govt’s stand, deputy director of education of Mumbai Region Rajesh Kankal said monitoring carried out this academic year showed largely high compliance. “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,” he said.Kankal underlined that the rule applies uniformly. “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.However, MNS’s student wing remains sceptical. Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena’s general secretary Santosh Gangrude said, “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.”
