MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Friday issued a Government Resolution (GR) extending all educational facilities and welfare services currently given to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community to students from the Maratha community.
The State General Administration Department issued the directive to various departments, including school education, sports, higher and technical education, medical education, agriculture, fisheries, and skill development, instructing them to extend these benefits.
According to the GR, primary and higher education scholarships previously reserved for OBC students will now be extended to Maratha students. This includes concessions for admissions and training at government-run and private Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to ensure affordable education.
Furthermore, Maratha students who secure admission to engineering and medical colleges after the completion of formal admission rounds will receive the same facilities as OBC students. The GR also mandates that other welfare schemes, such as motor driving training, be extended to the Maratha community.
"The implementation of this GR should take place from this academic year 2026-27. Therefore, the finance and planning department should prepare the plan from this year and make the provision of adequate funds," the directive stated.
The government added that a review will be carried out once the decision is implemented, and a report will be submitted to the cabinet sub-committee.
While the Maratha community had demanded inclusion in the OBC category, the state government decided to extend these identical benefits and schemes because direct inclusion cannot be done legally.
