Activists blame poor infrastructure, lack of political will for fall in enrolment; more alarmingly is the student enrolment, which has fallen by a staggering 35 per cent that is from 1.32 lakh to 85,500, a drop of nearly 47,000 students
Nabar Guruji Vidyalaya in Dadar, a Marathi institution dating back to the 1940s, is now staring at an uncertain future. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Marathi-medium schools in Mumbai are witnessing a troubling decline, with the number of schools dropping from 461 in 2019–20 to just 421 in 2024–25, a reduction of 40 schools, or 8.7 per cent, in just six years.
More alarmingly is the student enrolment, which has fallen by a staggering 35 per cent that is from 1.32 lakh to 85,500, a drop of nearly 47,000 students.
‘Highest decline’
Data from the school education department has revealed that South Mumbai has witnessed the highest decline, with the steepest percentage drop both in the number of schools (from 110 to 90) and students (from 24,219 to 14,924). The area alone has seen the closure of 20 Marathi-medium schools in the past six years.
The possible closure of Nabar Guruji Vidyalaya in Dadar — a largely Marathi-speaking area—reported by mid-day earlier this month, has drawn attention to a deeper, ongoing issue. “The data shows a steady decline not just in student enrolment, but in the overall presence of Marathi-medium schools across Mumbai and its neighbouring districts,” said Girish Samant, trustee of AB Goregaonkar School, managed by the Goregaon-based Shikshan Mandal Trust.
Since 2019, a total of 40 Marathi-medium schools have shut down. Data shows that over 50,000 students affected by these closures have shifted to other mediums and school boards, mainly English-medium institutions. “I understand that parents too are choosing to move away from Marathi-medium schools, but we need a think tank—an expert panel — to study the issue and explore ways to address this growing problem,” said Srimantini Jadhav-Rao.
Action necessary
Sushil Shejule from Marathi Abhyas Kendra, a group advocating for the preservation of Marathi education, said, “This decline has been visible for years. Yet, neither the ruling party nor the opposition nor even those who champion the Marathi language politically have taken serious steps to address the crisis. It is not too late, but immediate action is necessary,” he said.
“One of the key reasons behind the shift away from Marathi-medium schools, experts believe, is the stark difference in infrastructure. While English-medium and private board schools may also suffer from under qualified staff, they attract parents with modern facilities, air conditioned classrooms, updated laboratories, and tech-enabled campuses that Marathi schools often lack. We demand urgent government investment to upgrade Marathi schools’ infrastructure,”
On the other hand West Mumbai showed some fluctuation in school numbers, with a brief increase in 2023-24. However, the overall trend remains one of steady and consistent decline across all regions of the city.
“The data shows how the state is grappling with these figures, many of us in the education sector believe that preserving Marathi-medium education is not just about language but about cultural heritage and equitable access to quality schooling for all communities,” added Samant. On one hand, data from the education department has clearly highlighted the alarming decline in the number of Marathi-medium schools across the city. On the other hand, several educational organisations, language experts and organisations advocating for the preservation of Marathi education have united to oppose the Maharashtra government’s recent decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language for Std I to V as part of their New Education Policy implementation.
35%
Percentage drop of student enrolment in Marathi medium schools in last 6 years
Declining number of Marathi schools in Mumbai
Total schools declined from 461 to 421, a drop of 40 schools in 6 years (decline by 8.7%).
Total students declined from 1.32 lakh to 85,000, a drop of 46,798 students (decline by 35%).
South Mumbai saw the steepest percentage drop in both schools (from 110 to 90) and students (from 24,219 to 14,924).
Western Mumbai had the most fluctuation in school numbers (a brief rise in 2023-24)
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