Marathi made compulsory in Maharashtra schools

The Maharashtra government has issued a clear directive to all schools in the state saying Marathi is compulsory till Class X. It also said that irrespective of the board -- SSC, CBSE or ICSE -- all the schools will have to implement the decision from the coming academic session.

"If you want to study in Maharashtra you must learn Marathi. This is the state's mandate," Maharashtra Education Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said in an order.

The decision has left both parents and students confused and worried.

"I'm scared and tense. I mean how will I deal with learning another language?" said a student Anahita Ponkshe.

The state diktat impacts students from over 200 CBSE and ICSE schools, especially students like Anahita whose parents have transferable jobs.

In Riyadh, Anahita had to cope with Arabic and French. In Mumbai she has to learn Hindi and now, Marathi.

"We get students from all over the country and the world. How can they be made to learn a language if they join in between the academic year?" said Avnita Bir, Principal, Poddar School.

Many feel the government's decision to make Marathi compulsory has been taken with an eye on the assembly elections. It seems like an attempt at countering the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's Marathi manoos agenda.