Against the backdrop of a planned agitation by Marathi litterateurs, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday reiterated that teaching Marathi will be made mandatory in all schools across the state affiliated to any central, state or international education boards. "Strict action will be taken against schools which fail to comply with the norms. If need be, all necessary amendments will be done to achieve this objective. We'll make it a rule to enforce Marathi and will ensure its inclusion in all schools across Maharashtra, no matter which board they are functioning under," said chief minister Fadnavis in the state legislative council on Thursday. Unhappy with the decision, secretary of Unaided School Forum SC Kedia said that the decision has been taken keeping upcoming elections in mind. "In all international boards, Marathi is taught till class VII. If Marathi continues to be the focus of students till class XII instead of English, which opens up more revenues, careers of students will be at stake," said Kedia. Lamenting the decline of Marathi in the state, Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe said, "In Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, teaching their respective state mother tongue is compulsory. It should be made compulsory in Maharashtra too," said Gore. Fadnavis promised to go to great lengths to preserve Marathi. "We will also have a meeting with the literary figures of Marathi language, and their suggestions will also be incorporated," said Fadnavis. Prominent Marathi literary personalities, including those from the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, have announced a major protest in Azad Maidan, in Mumbai on June 24 to demand stringent rules to enforce the teaching of state's main language in all schools. Welcoming the decision, Jayant Jain, President of Forum for Fairness in Education said, "Government notifications and decision copies are always drafted and issued in Marathi. Besides, language of the lower court is also Marathi. Thus, students living in Maharashtra must learn Marathi." Face The Music The decision comes after the government learnt that some boards were not complying with norms despite Marathi being obligated academically Strict action will be taken against schools which fail to comply with the norms —With inputs from Agencies

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