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Maharashtra Education Minister Dada Bhuse on Monday announced that Marathi will be a compulsory language from Classes 1 to 10 across all schools in the state.
He warned of strict action against institutions violating the directive and said the government is committed to promoting Marathi and the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Announcing the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly's Monsoon Session, Bhuse said the state government has issued instructions to ensure that Marathi is taught compulsorily in all affiliated schools. He said any violation of the order would invite stringent action. The issue was raised during a question by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, who flagged concerns over several schools allegedly not implementing the mandatory teaching of Marathi. During the discussion, legislators also pointed out that penalties imposed on erring schools were inadequate and that enforcement of existing rules remained ineffective. Responding to the concerns, Bhuse said, "The Maharashtra government is fully committed to the preservation, promotion, and propagation of the Marathi language. He stated that a special inspection campaign will be launched across the state, reviewing the compulsory teaching of Marathi in all schools." "If any violations are found during the inspections, strict action will be taken against the concerned schools and officials," the minister said. Bhuse also spoke about the inclusion of the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in school textbooks, stating that the coverage had been significantly expanded. He said that while textbooks of other education boards earlier devoted only about one-and-a-half columns to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the content has now been expanded to 22 pages with the approval of the Central Government, enabling students to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Maratha ruler's life and contributions. The minister reiterated that the state government remains committed to strengthening the Marathi language and ensuring that students are educated about the glorious legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He added that all schools are expected to strictly adhere to the prescribed regulations and that any negligence or non-compliance would not be tolerated. The new rules for the state come a day after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced plans for a phased implementation of the three-language formula for schools across the country. According to the CBSE, the current batch of class X will not have to follow the new language policy, and the current batches studying in class VII, VIII and IX would not be required to give board examination in a third language when they progress to Class X. For the current batches of class VII, VIII, IX, who had already taken 2 foreign languages, would continue with the same with one additional native Indian Language (Bhartiya Bhasha). CBSE has also said that grade-appropriate resource material would be made available in a time-bound manner. (ANI)
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