Savitribai Phule Pune University to make basic Marathi compulsory across all courses

The Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) is in the process of making the state language ‘Marathi’ a compulsory subject across the entire spectrum of its curricula and courses.

Beginning next academic year, all students under the SPPU will have to take a basic Marathi course as well, irrespective of the courses and disciplines they are pursuing, said Prof Sanjeev Sonawane, director, department of education and extension, SPPU.

Prof Sonawane is head of the three-member committee formed by the SPPU’s board of studies for implementation of this initiative which has already been approved by the senate.

He said, “The proposal, which came from the senate, stated that all students studying at SPPU should have a basic knowledge of the Marathi language. Courses which have the Marathi language as part of the curriculum will not have any issue. Those departments that do not have the Marathi language at all in their curriculum, will now need to teach it and set up the necessary infrastructure for the same.”

Prof Sonawane elaborated that “a Marathi organisation, or institute, will provide a proper syllabus, according to demands, and we will introduce it as an online course. It will be a 30-hour course and students can attend lectures online, do assignments and then take a test. Work for this is in process, through our committee. It will be introduced in the next academic year, once it has all the necessary approvals.”

Prof Tukaram Rongate, head of SPPU’s department of Marathi, said, “Basic knowledge of Marathi is important for all students studying in SPPU. A similar type of approach to Marathi as a compulsory subject exists at the Mumbai University, Shivaji University in Kolhapur and at the Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad.”