Mumbai is witnessing a concerning drop in the number of Marathi-medium schools, with figures showing a fall from 461 in 2019–20 to just 421 in 2024–25. This 8.7% decline over six years has been accompanied by an even steeper reduction in student enrolment—plummeting 35%, from 1.32 lakh to 85,500 students.
The data, released by the school education department, highlights that South Mumbai has borne the brunt of this decline. The region saw 20 schools shut down, with student numbers dropping from 24,219 to 14,924. This pattern underscores a broader city-wide trend that is raising alarm among educators and language advocates.The possible closure of Nabar Guruji Vidyalaya in Dadar, a predominantly Marathi-speaking locality, has brought renewed attention to the issue.
Girish Samant, trustee of AB Goregaonkar School, emphasised the steady fall not only in student enrolment but in the overall presence of Marathi-medium schools throughout Mumbai and its neighbouring districts.Since 2019, around 50,000 students have moved to other boards and mediums—mainly English-medium schools. Experts suggest that poor infrastructure in Marathi schools is a key factor, especially when compared to the modern facilities, air-conditioned classrooms, and tech-enabled campuses offered by private institutions.Srimantini Jadhav-Rao has called for the formation of a dedicated think tank to study and address the crisis.
Meanwhile, Sushil Shejule of Marathi Abhyas Kendra criticised the lack of political will to preserve Marathi education, warning that time is running out.The decline is also seen as a cultural concern, with educators urging immediate government investment and policy support to revitalise Marathi-medium schools. The recent move to make Hindi compulsory as a third language under the New Education Policy has further ignited opposition among regional language advocates.
Source: Mid-day.
