Marathi mandatory for Ola, Uber drivers as well, says minister
· Scroll
The Maharashtra government’s Marathi language requirement for taxi and auto drivers will also apply to those working with Ola, Uber and Rapido, The Indian Express quoted Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik as saying on Wednesday.
Visit newssport.cv for more information.
On April 14, the state government made it mandatory for all licensed taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to have a basic knowledge of Marathi from May 1. However, on April 29, it deferred the implementation of the decision until August 15.
Sarnaik had said in July that licences of taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers who fail to clear a Marathi language test will be cancelled from August 16.
His statement on Wednesday follows amendments to the 1989 Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, which make working knowledge of Marathi a requirement for authorisations related to commercial passenger transport, including permits and permit renewals, reported The Indian Express.
“These amendments eliminate ambiguities in the rules and underscore the importance of practical Marathi for drivers engaged in passenger transport,” Sarnaik was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
In 2025, several attacks were reported in Maharashtra on persons for not speaking or allegedly insulting Marathi.
When the Marathi test was announced in April, officials told The Hindu that drivers would be assessed on their ability to read signboards or documents, write a simple sentence and hold a basic conversation in the language.
Edited by Sneha.
...