Maharashtra Schools Risk Losing Recognition For Not Teaching Marathi, Warns State Education Minister

The Maharashtra government has issued a stern warning to schools across the state, cautioning that institutions failing to teach Marathi as a compulsory subject could face serious consequences including the cancellation of their recognition.

State School Education Minister Dada Bhuse made the announcement on Friday, reiterating that Marathi must be taught in every school operating within Maharashtra, regardless of board affiliation.

The directive applies uniformly to schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (ICSE), the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, and international education boards.

Bhuse indicated that the government may conduct inspections to verify compliance, and schools found in violation could face action up to and including cancellation of recognition.

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The warning comes amid concerns that several English-medium schools have yet to fully implement the policy. The state has mandated that Marathi be taught as a subject from Classes 1 through 10 across all schools in Maharashtra — a requirement rooted in a 2020 state law that made Marathi compulsory for all students studying in the state, irrespective of the medium of instruction or board of education.

Officials clarified that schools are not required to alter their medium of instruction. Marathi is to be introduced as a subject typically as a second or third language with the stated goal of ensuring students studying in Maharashtra develop at least a foundational understanding of the state’s official language.