Over 94,000 Maharashtra SSC Students Fail in Marathi Despite Language Being Mandatory Till Class 12

The Maharashtra SSC examination results revealed that more than 94,000 students failed in Marathi, raising serious concerns over language education despite Marathi being compulsory in schools across the state.

May 9, 2026 | Thane: The recently declared Maharashtra SSC examination results have sparked concern over the declining performance of students in Marathi, the state’s official language, with more than 94,000 students failing the subject in the 2026 board examinations. According to data released by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, the overall pass percentage in Marathi stood at 92.57 percent, significantly lower than several other language subjects. In contrast, Gujarati recorded a perfect 100 percent result, while Sanskrit and Arabic achieved pass percentages of 99.21 percent and 99.59 percent respectively.

The figures have reignited debate over the effectiveness of Marathi language education in schools, especially after the Maharashtra government made Marathi compulsory up to Class 12 through amendments in education policy and state legislation.

Board statistics showed that nearly 10.87 lakh students had opted for Marathi as their first language. Among them, over 80,800 students failed the subject. Additionally, around 4.13 lakh students had selected Marathi as a second or third language, out of which more than 13,700 students did not clear the examination. Combined together, the number of students failing Marathi reached 94,544.

Education experts and language activists have termed the numbers alarming, questioning both the quality of classroom teaching and students’ growing disconnect from their mother tongue. Concerns have also been raised about whether Marathi language instruction is being given adequate academic importance in schools despite policy-level emphasis. The issue has gained further significance as Marathi was recently granted the status of a classical language by the Central government. Critics argue that while official recognition and mandatory policies have strengthened Marathi symbolically, classroom outcomes suggest that practical implementation remains weak.

The SSC examinations for February-March 2026 were attended by over 16 lakh students across Maharashtra, with the Marathi language results emerging as one of the most debated aspects of this year’s board outcome.

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