Students of 175 low-enrolment Urdu schools in Maharashtra to be transferred to Marathi medium

The state has decided to close 4,093 primary and secondary schools with 10 or less number of students.

The state government is likely to transfer students from around 175 government-aided Urdu medium schools to Marathi medium schools nearby, as it moves to shut down schools with low enrolments.

The state government is likely to transfer students from around 175 government-aided Urdu medium schools to Marathi medium schools nearby. (HT File/Representational Image)

The state has decided to close 4,093 primary and secondary schools with 10 or less number of students. In the first phase, 1,314 schools will be shut with immediate effect.

Education minister Vinod Tawde had said primary school students will be shifted to other schools within 1km, while secondary school students will be transferred to schools within 3km. The government and the Zilla Parishads have not made any distinction between schools on the basis of their medium of education while merging various schools.

For instance, the Dhule district administration has ordered that Zilla Parishad Urdu School No 4 in Borkund be merged with Zilla Parishad Marathi School No 3 in the same village. Similarly, five Urdu medium schools in Nashik will be merged with Marathi schools in their vicinity.

While 5,002 schools with 10 or less students have been identified, 909 of these schools will not be shut as other schools are at a distance. Nand Kumar, principal secretary, school education and sports department, said that the Urdu medium teachers who are being shifted could be allowed to teach in Urdu in the Marathi medium schools. HT could not find out whether this plan will affect students using languages other than Marathi and Urdu.