Marathi Bill to be tabled today

TO BE COMPULSORY IN ALL SCHOOLS BUT IN PHASES

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government will table a Bill on Wednesday making Marathi compulsory for 1st to 10th standards in all schools, irrespective of medium of instruction, across Maharashtra.

Currently, Marathi is a compulsory subject until class 4 in the CBSE and ICSE boards, while it is optional for the later years.

However, the new Act will be implemented in phases and in the first phase it will be applicable to the 1st and

6th standards; the rest will be covered in the ensuing five years. The bill is on the lines of that passed in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal.

For a change, the bill will be first moved in the State Legislative Council by the Minister of Marathi Language and veteran Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai. The timing is crucial as the Marathi Language Day falls on February 27 and the MVA government has organised a slew of functions in and outside the State legislature to celebrate the occasion.

An MVA minister told the FPJ,'' The Marathi language learning and teaching Act extends to all schools in Maharashtra from the 1st to the 10th standard for all boards, including ICSE, IB, CBSE, or any private board, or as notified by the government. The Act will be implemented in phases and in the first phase it will be implemented in the 1st and the 6th standard and will cover the rest in five years.'' He informed that all schools will have to strictly follow the curriculum specified by the government.

''Persistent failure to implement the provisions will invite cancellation of No Objection Certificate by schools or will invite penalty at the first instance,'' the minister said.

NCP legislator Hemant Takle reminded that Marathi language was made compulsory after the formation of Maharashtra in 1960 but it did not work. Desai had recently said that there are 25, 000 schools in Maharashtra which do not teach Marathi but once the bill is passed in the State assembly it will be made mandatory for all to teach the language as part of their curriculum.

The move is aimed at consolidation of the traditional Marathi vote bank by the Shiv Sena ahead of the election to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation slated for 2022. This is also intended to checkmate a possible alliance between the BJP and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in the coming civic body polls.