Coming Soon: A Lesson From The Greats Of History For Maharashtra School Students

Last Updated:June 29, 2026, 19:31 IST

The move is aimed at familiarising students with the legacy of Maharashtra’s iconic figures after a similar publication, once part of the syllabus, was discontinued years ago

The Maharashtra government will soon introduce a dedicated book on the lives and contributions of the state’s eminent personalities in the school curriculum, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

The move is aimed at familiarising students with the legacy of Maharashtra’s iconic figures after a similar publication, once part of the syllabus, was discontinued years ago.

Replying to a starred question raised by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, Bhuse said the new book would cover all eminent personalities from the state and would be incorporated into the curriculum at the earliest.

The minister also addressed concerns over the limited coverage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in CBSE textbooks. He said the state government had taken up the issue with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after it was found that the Maratha king’s contribution was confined to barely one-and-a-half columns in a textbook. Following discussions, a comprehensive 22-page chapter on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Maharashtra’s history has now been included in the national curriculum, Bhuse informed the House.

Announcing a stricter enforcement of Marathi language education, Bhuse said the government would launch a statewide inspection drive to ensure that every school, irrespective of its medium of instruction, is teaching Marathi as a compulsory subject and conducting examinations accordingly.

He reminded the House that a Government Resolution issued in 2020 had made Marathi compulsory from Classes I to X. To strengthen implementation, the government has this year notified penalties for violations. Schools failing to comply will first face a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Continued non-compliance could result in cancellation of recognition.

Officials will verify compliance during routine school inspections, and action will be initiated against institutions found violating the norms, the minister said.

The discussion also brought attention to concerns over the revised curriculum. Congress MLA Nitin Raut alleged that the Class VI Marathi textbook includes only one folk dance from Maharashtra while giving space to folk dances from other states. He also claimed that the contributions of social reformers Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule had been reduced to a mere passing reference.

Responding to the criticism, Bhuse assured the Assembly that the anomalies would be corrected. He said the curriculum for Classes II, III and VI is being revised for the new academic year, and the necessary changes, including corrections to historical and cultural content, will be incorporated before implementation.

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Mayuresh Ganapatye

Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @...Read More

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