Marathi now mandatory for drivers. Census shows most Hindi, Urdu speakers don’t know it

Maharashtra's Regional Transport Office (RTO) has launched a grilling Marathi proficiency test for auto and taxi drivers, turning the state's roads into examination halls. Starting on August 20, officials began assessing drivers through everyday Marathi conversations they may have with passengers. These questions range from practical ones like "Please start the meter" or "How do I pay you, cash or online?" to situation-based queries such as "Rain has started" or "Where is the rickshaw stand?"

As of Day 1, over 8,000 drivers had undergone the Marathi test, with 1,268 of them failing and receiving notices for inadequate language skills. On Day 2, an additional 1,499 drivers were issued notices for lacking sufficient Marathi proficiency. This state-wide drive, set to continue until September 30, aims to ensure that all drivers can communicate effectively with passengers in Marathi.

The Transport Department justifies this move, asserting that drivers should be able to understand basic instructions and communicate with passengers in the state's native language. The requirement was first introduced after complaints from passengers about drivers' inability to comprehend Marathi. The Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, have been amended to enforce this rule.

Despite a prior Marathi-language training program for non-Marathi-speaking drivers, which saw 1.65 lakh drivers complete the course, the issue resurfaced when the Mira Bhayandar RTO found that numerous auto drivers lacked basic Marathi proficiency. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik subsequently announced that all drivers needed to learn Marathi.