School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse informed the Legislative Assembly that Marathi language is now mandatory in all schools across Maharashtra. Regardless of the medium of instruction or board management, Marathi must be taught as a ‘second language’ or ‘third language’ in schools following international or national curricula. The minister emphasized that Marathi cannot be excluded under any circumstances and strict action will be taken against schools not complying with this regulation.
Minister Bhuse responded to a query raised by member Harun Khan, stating that the Education Department will conduct immediate inspections of schools where Marathi is not being taught. The rule applies to government, private, unaided, and all foreign board schools. Institutions failing to comply will first receive a warning, and repeated non-compliance will result in the cancellation of school recognition. The government aims to ensure that the new generation learns Marathi as it is the official language of the state.
To ensure quality pre-primary education for children aged three to six years, Minister Bhuse mentioned the ongoing process of introducing a law for mandatory portal registration, regulation, and quality assurance of private pre-primary schools. The issue was raised by member Manisha Chaudhary, and the registration on the ‘Pre-School Registration Portal’ has been made mandatory to provide a centralized database for the state, district administration, and parents. Schools are required to provide detailed information regarding various aspects such as infrastructure, staff, and student strength.
Minister Bhuse highlighted that the proposed law includes provisions for mandatory renewal of registration every three years, defined teacher qualifications, child-centric curriculum, and safe infrastructure. The government aims to implement this Act before the upcoming academic year. Additionally, the government is considering limiting the distance of schools under RTE, with a possible limit of up to 3 km in areas where schools are not available within a 1 km radius.
