5 days ago
Maharashtra Gives Drivers One Year To Learn Marathi
Maharashtra wants taxi and autorickshaw drivers to know basic Marathi.
The government first gave drivers a short period to learn it.
It has now added one more year, and drivers will not be punished during that time.
Driver groups said they support learning Marathi but need more time because drivers are different ages and may have left school long ago.
The groups said they will help arrange classes and study materials.
After the extra year, drivers will have to take and pass a Marathi test.
Drivers who do not pass could face action or problems with their driving badges.
Some leaders and non-Marathi-speaking drivers oppose the rule because they say it could make it harder for migrants to work in Maharashtra.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave taxi and autorickshaw drivers an additional year to learn functional Marathi.
No action will be taken against drivers for lacking Marathi knowledge during the extension period.
Driver representatives said they supported the requirement but needed more time because drivers vary in age and educational background.
Marathi classes and study materials will be organised, after which drivers must pass a language test or could face action.
Critics, including Akhilesh Yadav, said mandatory Marathi could disadvantage migrants and affect the constitutional right to work across India.
- Who
- The Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, taxi and autorickshaw drivers, and their representative organisations.
- What
- The government extended the deadline for drivers to acquire working knowledge of Marathi by one year.
- Where
- Maharashtra, including the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
- When
- The extension was announced on Thursday; an earlier government deadline was August 15, and a checking drive issued notices on August 20.
- Why
- Driver representatives requested more time to learn Marathi, while the government said drivers should respect Maharashtra's language and culture.
Government And Driver Associations
Critics And Migrant-Driver Concerns
Whether Marathi should be required
Government And Driver Associations
The Maharashtra government says drivers should have a working knowledge of Marathi and respect the state's language and culture. Driver representatives said they supported the rule and were willing to help drivers learn.
Critics And Migrant-Driver Concerns
Akhilesh Yadav and other critics oppose making Marathi mandatory, arguing that it could disadvantage non-Marathi-speaking drivers and undermine the right to work and conduct business anywhere in India.
Time allowed for learning
Government And Driver Associations
The government accepted driver organisations' request for an additional year, saying classes and study materials would give drivers adequate opportunities to learn.
Critics And Migrant-Driver Concerns
Drivers' representatives said the earlier period was too short, particularly because drivers belong to different age groups and many left formal education years ago.
Political significance
Government And Driver Associations
The government presented the extension as a practical response to drivers who said they wanted to learn Marathi.
Critics And Migrant-Driver Concerns
A political observer said the decision could also have electoral significance because many affected drivers have links to Uttar Pradesh, which is scheduled to hold Assembly elections in February 2027.
Key facts
- Extension
- Taxi and autorickshaw drivers received one additional year to learn functional Marathi.
- Protection period
- No action will be taken against drivers for lacking Marathi knowledge during the additional year.
- Earlier deadline
- The government had previously set an August 15 deadline and, according to the Transport Minister, had given drivers 105 days to learn Marathi.
- Test requirement
- Drivers will have to appear for and pass a Marathi language test after the extension period.
- Enforcement
- Drivers who fail the later test could face action, including suspension of their authorisation badges.
- Notices issued
- The Transport Department issued notices to 1,268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers on August 20 for inadequate Marathi knowledge.
- Driver population
- Around 5.5 lakh taxi and autorickshaw drivers operate in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and around 15 lakh operate across Maharashtra.
- Non-Marathi-speaking drivers
- An estimated 60 to 70 percent of drivers are non-Marathi-speaking, with many from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Quotes
Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister who announced the one-year extension
“They have demanded addition time of one year to learn the Marathi language. I decided to give them an additional year to learn Marathi. No action will be taken against drivers during this period.”
deccanchronicle.com
“They requested that they be given one year's time. The state government has accepted their demand and is giving them one year. No action will be taken during this period.”
CNBC TV 18
Sources
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