CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Language Policy Must Promote Inclusion, Public Safety and Opportunity Rather Than Fear
Maharashtra’s reported decision to make working knowledge of Marathi mandatory for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers brings together four important questions: language, regional identity, public service, and livelihood. The new requirement, under which drivers may face licensing action for non-compliance, has generated a broader debate about how far governments should go in promoting a regional language in essential public-facing services.
There is nothing unreasonable about expecting service providers to have a basic understanding of the local language. Maharashtra has a rich Marathi linguistic and cultural heritage, and respecting that heritage is entirely legitimate. For drivers, basic Marathi proficiency can also make everyday communication with passengers easier, particularly when giving directions, discussing fares, understanding requests, or dealing with emergencies.
However, the manner in which such a policy is implemented matters as much as the policy itself. If drivers are provided adequate training, learning material, reasonable examination opportunities, and sufficient time to acquire basic language skills, the requirement can become a useful professional qualification. But if language deficiency immediately becomes grounds for suspension or cancellation of a licence, the policy could unnecessarily threaten the livelihoods of thousands of workers, particularly those who have lived and worked in Maharashtra for years but come from other linguistic backgrounds.
The distinction between language learning and language punishment must therefore remain clear.
The government should define “working knowledge” in practical terms. An auto or taxi driver does not need literary fluency or advanced grammar to serve passengers effectively. The ability to understand common instructions, communicate about destinations and fares, respond to basic questions, and handle emergency situations should be the reasonable benchmark.
Training should be an essential part of the policy. Authorities could provide accessible Marathi courses through transport offices, digital platforms, community centres and driver associations. The examination should be simple, transparent, inexpensive, and available at multiple locations. Drivers who fail should receive additional opportunities rather than immediately facing severe licensing consequences.
This is particularly important for app-based cab drivers, many of whom migrate between cities and states for employment. They contribute substantially to urban mobility and the service economy. Asking them to learn the local language can be justified as a professional requirement, but the responsibility for enabling that learning cannot be placed entirely on workers.
A fair system would therefore combine reasonable language standards with institutional support.
The policy must also avoid creating a situation in which language becomes a basis for discrimination. Maharashtra has the right to promote Marathi, but citizens and workers from other states remain entitled to equal protection under the law. Encouraging a person to learn Marathi is fundamentally different from using language as a mechanism to exclude someone from earning a livelihood.
Public safety must also remain central to the discussion. Language is only one component of quality transport services. Driver training, road safety, vehicle fitness, police verification, passenger grievance mechanisms, digital security, and compliance with traffic regulations are equally important. A comprehensive transport policy should address all these areas rather than treating language proficiency as the single measure of service quality.
The licensing consequences deserve particular caution. Suspension or cancellation of a licence directly affects a person's income and family. Any such action should follow due process, including prior notice, a clear assessment, an opportunity to comply, and an appropriate appeal mechanism. Rules should never become instruments for arbitrary enforcement.
Mumbai and other Maharashtra cities have been built by people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The transport sector is one of the clearest examples of this diversity. The contribution of workers from outside Maharashtra should not be forgotten while promoting Marathi. A confident regional culture should be capable of welcoming newcomers while encouraging them to participate in local linguistic life.
The policy can, in fact, become an opportunity for integration. If learning Marathi is presented as a way of communicating better with passengers and becoming more connected with Maharashtra, drivers may view it as a professional and social opportunity rather than a threat. Government support, affordable training and a reasonable transition period can make a substantial difference.
Language is ultimately a bridge between people. It should help citizens communicate more effectively, not create new divisions between “locals” and “outsiders.” Maharashtra can protect the dignity of Marathi while also protecting the dignity of workers who depend on driving for their livelihood.
The right policy is not one that forces people to choose between language and livelihood. It is one that makes learning Marathi accessible, useful and fair while ensuring that no worker is pushed out of employment without due process. Marathi deserves respect, but that respect will be strongest when it is promoted through inclusion, opportunity and confidence rather than fear or exclusion.
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