Maharashtra plans to make Marathi language mandatory for all cab drivers

Maharashtra plans to make Marathi language knowledge mandatory for all cab drivers. Drivers failing to meet this requirement face potential license suspension or cancellation. The state transport minister confirmed the August 15 deadline for compliance. This rule aims to improve communication and ensure safer journeys for passengers.

The Maharashtra government has proposed making working knowledge of Marathi mandatory for taxi, autorickshaw and app-based cab drivers, with failure to comply potentially resulting in suspension or cancellation of the driving authorisation.

The proposed changes are part of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026, which seek to amend the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The draft notification applies to drivers and permit holders of autorickshaw, taxis and app-based motor cabs fitted with electronic meters.

Under the proposed amendment, drivers of motor cabs with electronic meters will be required to have a “working knowledge of Marathi language” in addition to existing eligibility requirements.

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Wednesday that there would be no extension of the August 15 deadline for taxi and autorickshaw drivers to acquire functional Marathi skills.

“Marathi is the language of Maharashtra, and drivers providing public transport services here should have basic functional knowledge of the language,” Sarnaik told PTI Videos.

The minister said drivers had been given sufficient time to learn Marathi and that functional Marathi would become mandatory for taxi and autorickshaw drivers from August 15.

The draft rules provide for a one-month period for a driver to acquire the required working knowledge of Marathi if the licensing authority finds that the driver does not meet the requirement.

If the driver fails to comply within the stipulated period, the authorisation on the driving licence could be suspended for up to three months. Continued non-compliance could subsequently lead to revocation of the authorisation, according to the draft notification.

However, drivers would be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard before the authorisation is revoked.

The Marathi language requirement would also apply when such permits are renewed. Permit holders would have to demonstrate the required level of Marathi proficiency to the satisfaction of the competent authority.

The state government said practical knowledge of Marathi is important for communication between drivers and passengers and could help ensure safer and more convenient journeys.

“Working knowledge of the local language is necessary to communicate with passengers, understand what they have to say and ensure safe and convenient travel,” Sarnaik said.

The proposed amendments are intended to remove ambiguity in the existing rules and make the importance of practical Marathi language skills for passenger vehicle drivers clearer, according to a release from the minister’s office.

A senior state transport department official told PTI that the draft notification has been cleared by the law and judiciary department and is ready for issuance. The home department will issue the final notification under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Sarnaik reiterated that the August 15 deadline for non-Marathi-speaking taxi and autorickshaw drivers would not be extended.

On August 17, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is expected to present certificates to hundreds of autorickshaw drivers who have completed a government-organised Marathi training course, Sarnaik said.