Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar on April20, said Marathi will remain a compulsory subject for all schools in the state, and the concession of granting grades instead of marks is being offered to only Class 8 students of central schools.

Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had opposed the state government’s decision to allow non-state board schools to give grades rather than marks to students for Marathi.

MNS leader Anil Shidore said the decision diluted the 2020 decision to make Marathi a compulsory subject for all schools.

Kesarkar said in a statement that Marathi is mandatory in all schools from Class 6, but due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many Class 8 students are studying the language for the first time this year.

“So Class 8 students of academic year 2022-23, till they reach Class 10 in 2024-25, will be evaluated on grades-basis. This is a one-time relaxation,” he said.

But MNS chief Raj Thackeray dismissed the reasoning offered by the government.

The pandemic period had made studying all subjects difficult and not just Marathi, he said.

Source: PTI

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