Marathi mandatory in all Maharashtra schools; inspections, fines up to Rs1 lakh for violations | Mumbai News
2 min readMumbaiApr 18, 2026 10:34 AM IST
The Maharashtra school education department on Friday issued a fresh Government Resolution (GR) to enforce compulsory teaching of Marathi across all schools in the state, warning of penalties up to Rs 1 lakh and possible withdrawal of recognition for repeated violations.
The directive, under the Maharashtra Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Marathi Language in All Schools Act, 2020, applies to all institutions irrespective of board, medium or management.
It also mandates the appointment of qualified Marathi teachers in every school.
As part of a multi-tier enforcement mechanism, divisional Deputy Directors of Education have been designated as competent authorities to ensure compliance.
Schools will be inspected within two months of the start of the new academic year. Institutions found flouting the norm will be issued notices and given 15 days to respond, failing which fines may be imposed and immediate implementation ordered.
The GR also outlines an appeal process, allowing school managements to challenge penalties before the Director of Education within 30 days.
Persistent non-compliance may lead to hearings before the Commissioner of Education and eventual cancellation of recognition.
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However, activists have criticised the move as delayed, pointing to poor implementation despite multiple GRs since the law came into force on April 1, 2020. They also flagged the absence of a clear database identifying compliant and non-compliant schools.
Sushil Shejule, coordinator of the Marathi School Management Association, who has long been demanding strict implementation of the 2020 Act, said, “Multiple GRs have been issued in this regard over the past six years, but implementation remains incomplete. Despite our repeated demands, the authorities have failed to compile a clear list of schools complying with or in violation of the mandate. This latest GR issued ahead of the new academic year is yet another eyewash.”
