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National
Maharashtra Mandates Marathi for Taxi/Auto Drivers by Aug 15
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 19 Jun 2026, 06:32 AM
👁 15
Maharashtra's Transport Minister has decreed that all taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers in the state must learn Marathi by August 15, or risk losing their driving licenses. The mandate has led to intensive training sessions for migrant drivers.
Maharashtra's Transport Minister has implemented a new regulation requiring all taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers operating within the state to acquire a working knowledge of the Marathi language. The deadline for compliance is August 15, after which drivers failing to meet the linguistic requirement will face the revocation of their licenses.
Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across Maharashtra have been repurposed to function as makeshift classrooms. These facilities are conducting intensive, short-term courses for migrant drivers who are new to the state and its primary language. The training aims to equip drivers with basic Marathi communication skills necessary for their profession.
The directive has elicited mixed reactions among the drivers. While some express hope that learning the local language will improve their interactions with passengers and potentially their livelihoods, others reportedly feel a sense of humiliation and struggle with the rapid pace of learning a new language within the limited timeframe.
Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across Maharashtra have been repurposed to function as makeshift classrooms. These facilities are conducting intensive, short-term courses for migrant drivers who are new to the state and its primary language. The training aims to equip drivers with basic Marathi communication skills necessary for their profession.
The directive has elicited mixed reactions among the drivers. While some express hope that learning the local language will improve their interactions with passengers and potentially their livelihoods, others reportedly feel a sense of humiliation and struggle with the rapid pace of learning a new language within the limited timeframe.