07 June,2026 11:48 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Maharashtra government has announced that students from the Maratha community will be eligible for a range of educational concessions and welfare benefits currently available to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, according to a government resolution (GR) issued on Friday.
The decision is expected to expand access to scholarships, fee reimbursements, vocational training and other educational support schemes for Maratha students across the state beginning from the 2026-27 academic year.
The government resolution directs all concerned departments to implement the benefits and make adequate budgetary provisions in the current and upcoming financial years to support the schemes.
The move comes shortly after Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange ended his hunger strike following discussions with a government delegation that reportedly presented a 12-point proposal addressing several demands raised by the community.
Officials said the objective of the policy is to improve educational opportunities, skill development and access to financial assistance for students from the Maratha community.
Under the new policy, Maratha students will become eligible for post-matric scholarship schemes currently available to OBC students.
Scholarship programmes covering primary, secondary and higher secondary education will also be extended to Maratha beneficiaries. In addition, vocational training fee reimbursement schemes applicable to OBC students enrolled in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and private vocational institutions will now be available to Maratha students.
The government has also approved the extension of educational assistance covering various academic expenses incurred by students pursuing higher education in aided and unaided institutions.
According to the GR, Maratha students pursuing professional courses outside Maharashtra will be eligible for the same educational concessions currently available to OBC students from the state.
The policy further states that Maratha students will be entitled to benefits for all courses covered under existing OBC educational assistance schemes.
Students admitted to vacant seats after the completion of the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) will also be eligible for educational concessions on the same basis as OBC candidates.
The government has also extended skill development initiatives to Maratha students. The Motor Vehicle Driver and Conductor Training Scheme, currently implemented for OBC candidates, will now be made available to eligible Maratha applicants through the state's SARTHI portal.
Officials said the measure is intended to improve employment opportunities and vocational skills among young people from the community.
One of the significant provisions in the government resolution states that any educational concession or facility available to OBC students at present, or introduced in the future, will automatically apply to the Maratha community until further orders.
This provision is expected to ensure that Maratha students continue to receive educational benefits without the need for separate government notifications whenever new schemes are introduced.
To facilitate implementation, the government has directed departments to coordinate with the Information Technology Department for necessary modifications to the MahaDBT portal. The changes will enable eligible Maratha students to submit online applications for scholarships, reimbursements and other benefits.
The implementation process will be monitored periodically by the cabinet sub-committee constituted to examine the social, educational and economic status of the Maratha community and recommend welfare measures.
The decision comes in the wake of recent negotiations between the state government and Manoj Jarange, whose agitation had focused on reservation and welfare-related demands for the Maratha community.
Speaking to PTI on Friday, Jarange claimed that the government had accepted several demands raised during his protest. He also stated that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had approved the proposal for creating a separate ministry dedicated to issues concerning the Maratha community.
The state government has not yet issued a formal announcement regarding the proposed ministry. Meanwhile, the newly announced educational benefits are set to take effect from the 2026-27 academic year.
(With inputs from PTI)
