Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared that all competitive examinations under the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) will now be conducted in Marathi.
The announcement came during a session of the state Legislative Council on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in response to a query from Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Milind Narvekar, reported Business Standard.
Background of the issue
Narvekar raised concerns about certain MPSC examinations, particularly those in agriculture and engineering disciplines, being conducted solely in English.
He questioned why engineering-related exams were not offered in Marathi, highlighting the language barrier faced by Marathi-speaking candidates.
Why English-only exams?
Addressing Narvekar’s query, CM Fadnavis clarified that most MPSC exams are already bilingual, and conducted in both Marathi and English. However, he acknowledged that judicial rulings had mandated English-only exams in specific cases, such as agricultural engineering.
“The court accepted the argument that textbooks for these subjects were unavailable in Marathi after government-level discussions,” Fadnavis said.
Marathi inclusion in state
Fadnavis emphasised ongoing efforts to overcome this limitation. “The state government is working on providing Marathi textbooks for technical subjects,” he said.
He further noted that the new education policy allows engineering courses to be taught in Marathi, enabling the state to adapt MPSC exams accordingly.
“Even in the absence of textbooks, we will collaborate with the MPSC to set a timeline and ensure these exams are conducted in Marathi,” he assured.
Impact on students
The decision is set to benefit Marathi-speaking aspirants by removing language-related obstacles in MPSC examinations. Fadnavis highlighted that this move would level the playing field for students who struggle with English-only exams and also align with the state’s commitment to promoting education in the regional language.
