Maha to make Marathi mandatory in CBSE, ICSE schools in state

Maharashtra government will bring in a legislation to make teaching Marathi language compulsory in all schools in the state, including those affiliated to ICSE and CBSE, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Thursday.

Fadnavis informed the Legislative Council that there is already a provision for teaching Marathi language in schools attached to non-state education boards.

"Despite this, if there are some schools not teaching Marathi language to students, we will initiate action against them," the chief minister said.

If needed, the existing law can be amended to ensure that Marathi language is taught in all schools in the state, Fadnavis said.

At present, Marathi is a compulsory subject up to class 8 in schools run by the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), a private board which conducts the ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) examination.

The chief minister was responding to a query by Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe, who sought to know the status of making Marathi mandatory in non-state board schools.

She said several writers have decided to stage protest at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Monday to demand that Marathi be made mandatory in schools attached to non-state education boards.