MAHARASHTRA UNVEILS SWEEPING SCHOOL REFORMS: COMPULSORY MARATHI, AI LITERACY, AND TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR PRIVATE TRUSTS
MUMBAI — In a major overhaul of the state’s school ecosystem, the Maharashtra Government has formally rolled out its updated State Education Policy. Aimed at aligning local schooling with the National Education Policy (NEP), the structural changes place a heavy emphasis on digital literacy, regional language mandates, and strict infrastructural compliance for private and self-financed institutions.
Here are the key developments reshaping classrooms across Maharashtra:
1. Mandatory Marathi and AI for Class 6 Onwards
Under the newly finalized framework, Marathi is now a compulsory third language up to Class 10 across all educational boards operating within the state, including CBSE, ICSE, and international frameworks.
Simultaneously, the state is pushing for an aggressive digital upgrade. Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy will be integrated into the state board curriculum starting from Class 6. To support this transition, the School Education Department has partnered with Google for Education to train over 4 lakh teachers in digital pedagogy and AI tools over the next 18 months, with training modules available in Marathi, Hindi, and English.
2. Self-Financed Schools Bill Passes: Strict Fines for Abrupt Closures
The State Assembly has passed the Maharashtra Self-Financed Schools Amendment Bill. While the law relaxes entry barriers by allowing national trusts to establish self-financed schools in Maharashtra (a privilege previously restricted to state-registered bodies), it severely tightens operational penalties.
School Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced that private operators are now legally barred from shutting down a school abruptly. Management must provide a mandatory 18-month advance notice before closure. To safeguard students from sudden academic disruption, penalty fines for unauthorized closures have been doubled, shifting to a minimum of ₹10 lakh and a maximum of ₹20 lakh.
Furthermore, any future expansion or upgrade of classes will be strictly tied to providing proportional basic infrastructure, including sanitation facilities, laboratories, libraries, and playgrounds mapped directly to student strength.
3. Ban on Kindergarten Entrance Tests
In a move to relieve pressure on toddlers and parents, the state has cracked down on early childhood commercialization. All private nurseries and kindergartens are now required to register via a centralized online portal and explicitly declare their safety and basic facilities, such as CCTV coverage and clean drinking water. Crucially, the policy imposes a strict ban on any written or oral admission entrance tests for pre-primary children, ordering schools to rely entirely on basic, holistic developmental milestones.
4. Restoration of the 3-Kilometer RTE Quota Rule
Reversing a previous administrative shift that narrowed application boundaries to a strict 1-kilometer radius, the state has officially restored the 3-kilometer distance rule for the Right to Education (RTE) 25% free quota. Parents can now apply to any private, unaided school located within 3 kilometers of their residence, expanding school choice for economically weaker sections.
5. Standardized Classroom Ratios and Naming Restraints
To clean up public marketing and streamline state spending, the government has implemented two additional directives:
- Misleading Names Banned: Schools are restricted from using elite buzzwords like “International”, “Global”, or specific board identities (like “CBSE”) in their official public titles unless they explicitly meet rigorous state-defined eligibility criteria.
- Teacher-to-Student Minimums: Sanctioned teacher posts will be structurally linked to actual classroom strength. A standard grade must maintain a minimum threshold of 20 students to qualify for a dedicated, government-funded teacher post.