Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Pune Marathi Academy Grows As Driver Language Rule Takes Effect
A Marathi language school in Pune is helping people learn to speak Marathi.
The school was started by Anil Kumar Mishra, who originally comes from Uttar Pradesh.
It now has more than 100 students, up from about 20 when it began.
People from many jobs attend, including drivers, office workers, students, and homemakers.
The lessons focus on useful sentences and conversations instead of difficult grammar.
This is helpful because Maharashtra now requires many passenger-vehicle drivers to know Marathi.
Drivers say the language helps them understand passengers and communicate more easily.
Mishra says learning Marathi is also a way to show respect and feel connected to the community.
The course lasts two months and costs ₹2,499.
The Maharashtra Marathi Speaking Academy in Wagholi has grown from about 20 students to more than 100.
Founded by Uttar Pradesh native Anil Kumar Mishra, the academy teaches spoken Marathi through everyday conversations.
Its students include professionals, homemakers, students, business owners, and auto-rickshaw and cab drivers.
Maharashtra’s 2026 rules require commercial passenger-vehicle drivers to have a working knowledge of Marathi.
The academy’s two-month course costs ₹2,499, with online and offline classes and a new batch starting August 24.
- Who
- Anil Kumar Mishra founded the Maharashtra Marathi Speaking Academy, which teaches Marathi to residents and workers in Pune.
- What
- The academy is providing spoken-Marathi lessons as demand rises alongside a state requirement for commercial passenger-vehicle drivers to have working knowledge of Marathi.
- When
- The Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, establish the driver requirement; the academy’s next batch begins August 24.
- Where
- The academy is based in Wagholi, Pune, Maharashtra.
- Why
- Students want to communicate more easily in daily life and at work, while commercial drivers must meet the state’s Marathi-proficiency requirement.
- Academy
- Maharashtra Marathi Speaking Academy
- Founder
- Anil Kumar Mishra, a 39-year-old native of Uttar Pradesh
- Current enrollment
- More than 100 students
- Course format
- Two-month spoken-Marathi course with online and offline classes
- Course fee
- ₹2,499
- Driver requirement
- Autorickshaw, taxi, and app-based motor-cab drivers need a working knowledge of Marathi under the 2026 rules
- Non-compliance
- Driving authorisation may be suspended for up to three months and can later be revoked after an opportunity to be heard