{"id":17221,"date":"2026-08-27T13:10:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T13:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=17221"},"modified":"2026-08-27T13:10:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T13:10:11","slug":"learn-marathi-in-1-year-maharashtra-govt-extends-deadline-for-auto-taxi-drivers-mumbai-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=17221","title":{"rendered":"Learn Marathi in 1 year: Maharashtra govt extends deadline for auto, taxi drivers | Mumbai News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133569186,imgsize-174623,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-required-knowledge-of-the-states-official-language.jpg\" alt=\"Learn Marathi in 1 year: Maharashtra govt extends deadline for auto, taxi drivers\" title=\"CM fadnavis said that no action will be taken against drivers during one year for not having the required knowledge of the state's official language.\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"CM fadnavis said that no action will be taken against drivers during one year for not having the required knowledge of the state's official language.\">CM fadnavis said that no action will be taken against drivers during one year for not having the required knowledge of the state&#8217;s official language.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>MUMBAI: Maharashtra government has decided to give auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers one year to learn functional Marathi, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Thursday.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>He said that no action will be taken against drivers during this period for not having the required knowledge of the state&#8217;s official language.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>This comes days after the Transport Department carried out a statewide checking drive and issued notices to drivers who failed a Marathi test.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>Fadnavis said representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers&#8217; organisations, led by Haji Arfat Shaikh, had met him and supported the requirement for drivers to learn basic Marathi.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>However, the representatives pointed out that drivers belonged to different age groups and many had left formal education years ago, making it difficult for them to learn the language within a short period, he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>\u201cThey requested that they be given one year&#8217;s time. The state government has accepted their demand and is giving them one year. No action will be taken during this period,\u201d Fadnavis said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>During the one-year period, Marathi classes will be organised and study material will be provided to help drivers learn functional Marathi.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>\u201cThey have themselves come forward and are willing to learn. Therefore, it was necessary to give them time,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>What is the Marathi rule?<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>The government had announced in April that non-Marathi-speaking drivers must learn basic Marathi and had set a deadline of August 15, while also organising Marathi classes.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"22\"\/>On August 20, the transport department issued notices to 1,268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers, mainly auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, for not having adequate knowledge of Marathi on the first day of the statewide checking drive.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>The drivers who failed the Marathi test were initially given one month to acquire working knowledge of Marathi, failing which their badges could be suspended for three months.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>Protests and allegations<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>The checking drive triggered protests by a section of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in parts of Mumbai.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>Demonstrations were reported in Kandivali, Malad West, Santacruz, Dahisar and Andheri, while some drivers began a three-day strike.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>An autorickshaw driver was allegedly assaulted by another auto driver who was part of a protesting group on MG Road in Kandivali West.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/>Some protesters allegedly stopped other auto and taxi drivers, including app-based cab drivers, from ferrying passengers and forced passengers to deboard. A roadblock was also staged at Laljipada in Kandivali West.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>Drivers also alleged that questions asked during roadside Marathi proficiency tests were outside the syllabus of the classes conducted by RTOs and literary groups.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"41\"\/>\u201cWe learnt at least 16 conversational Marathi sentences during the classes conducted by the RTO and literary groups. But during the road test none of the information we had learnt during the course was asked. Many of us have now received notices despite taking Marathi lessons from the RTO and literary groups,\u201d one driver said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>Union leader Thampy Kurien sought more time for drivers to learn Marathi, reduced punitive measures and tests restricted to the prescribed syllabus.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h3>Rule challenged in Bombay high court<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>The Marathi requirement has also faced a legal challenge. A PIL filed by four app-based cab drivers, including Mohd Kasim Ahmad, challenges the Maharashtra government&#8217;s August 12 notification making working knowledge of Marathi compulsory for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>The petitioners have argued that the notification violates their fundamental rights and is beyond the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which does not prescribe a language requirement for obtaining or holding a driving licence.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/>The PIL has also raised concerns over its impact on nearly 9.65 lakh drivers across Maharashtra.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/>(With inputs from PTI)<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/mumbai\/learn-marathi-in-1-year-maharashtra-govt-extends-deadline-for-auto-taxi-drivers\/articleshow\/133568918.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CM fadnavis said that no action will be taken against drivers during one year for not having the required knowledge of the state&#8217;s official language. MUMBAI: Maharashtra government has decided to give auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers one year to learn functional Marathi, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Thursday.He said that no action will be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"CM fadnavis said that no action will be taken against drivers during one year for not having the required knowledge of the state&#8217;s official language. MUMBAI: Maharashtra government has decided to give auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers one year to learn functional Marathi, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Thursday.He said that no action will be [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":4,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req.avif",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req-300x169.avif",300,169,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cm-fadnavis-said-that-no-action-will-be-taken-against-drivers-during-one-year-for-not-having-the-req-150x150.avif",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17221"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17221\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}