Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Minister urges Marathi teachers to poach students from English schools
Gulabrao Patil wants more children to study in Marathi-medium schools.
He said Marathi teachers should encourage children from English-medium schools to join them.
He compared this idea to the BJP bringing leaders from other political parties into its own party.
Patil said many parents now prefer English-medium schools.
He also said parents are willing to make sacrifices to educate their children.
The minister believes Marathi schools need to increase their student numbers.
He said enrollment in Marathi schools in Jalgaon may already be rising.
The BJP said his comparison was inappropriate.
Maharashtra Minister Gulabrao Patil urged Marathi-medium teachers to attract students from English-medium schools.
Patil made the remarks at a Teacher’s Day event in Jalgaon on Saturday.
He compared the proposed student recruitment to the BJP moving leaders from other parties into its fold.
He said increasing enrollment is a major challenge for government-run Marathi-medium schools.
The BJP criticized Patil’s remarks as inappropriate on Sunday.
- Who
- Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Gulabrao Patil, with the BJP responding to his remarks.
- What
- Patil urged Marathi-medium teachers to attract students from English-medium schools and compared this to political defections to the BJP.
- When
- Patil spoke on Saturday at a Teacher’s Day event; the BJP criticized the remarks on Sunday.
- Where
- Jalgaon, Maharashtra.
- Why
- To increase enrollment and student strength in government-run Marathi-medium schools.
Patil’s position
BJP’s position
Comparison between student recruitment and political recruitment
Patil’s position
Gulabrao Patil said Marathi teachers should bring students from English-medium schools into Marathi-medium schools, comparing this with the BJP bringing leaders from other parties into its fold.
BJP’s position
The BJP said Patil’s comparison and remarks were inappropriate.
- Speaker
- Gulabrao Patil, a Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader
- Event
- Teacher’s Day event
- Location
- Jalgaon
- Proposal
- Marathi teachers should attract students from English-medium schools
- Stated challenge
- Maintaining and increasing enrollment in government-run Marathi-medium schools
- Political response
- The BJP described the comment as inappropriate