After Manoj Jarange-Patil's Protest, Maharashtra Govt Extends OBC-Like Educational Benefits To Maratha Students; 8 Major Schemes Announced
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai: In a major move seen as a major concession to the Maratha community, the Maharashtra government on Friday announced that Maratha students will now be eligible for a range of educational benefits and welfare schemes that are currently available to students from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
The decision, formalised through a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the General Administration Department, comes in the backdrop of sustained agitation by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil and follows assurances reportedly given by the Mahayuti government during recent discussions with him.
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Jarange had recently launched an indefinite fast demanding implementation of various promises made to the Maratha community. Following intervention by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, senior minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and MLA Prasad Lad held talks with the activist, leading to the suspension of the protest.
8 Key Benefits For Maratha Students
Under the new decision, Maratha students will receive educational concessions and support schemes similar to those available to OBC students. The benefits include:
- Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme
- Motor Vehicle Driver and Conductor Training Scheme
- Scholarships for primary, secondary and higher secondary students
- Professional Training Fee Reimbursement Scheme
- Reimbursement under 16 educational assistance components
- Benefits for students pursuing professional courses outside Maharashtra
- Other educational concessions and support facilities
- Educational benefits for students admitted at the institute level after the Centralised Admission Process (CAP)
Fee Waivers & Scholarship Support
The government has also extended the Professional Training Fee Reimbursement Scheme to Maratha students. The scheme currently provides fee waivers to OBC candidates enrolled in private Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and institutions operating under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Additionally, Maratha students studying in aided and unaided colleges will now be eligible for various reimbursement schemes that cover tuition fees, examination fees, post-matric scholarships and, in certain cases, maintenance allowances. Students from Maharashtra pursuing professional education in other states will also be brought under similar assistance programmes.
Maharashtra Govt Holds Talks With Manoj Jarange In Jalna Ahead of Indefinite Hunger Strike Over Maratha QuotaSARTHI To Implement Key Schemes
The Motor Vehicle Driver and Conductor Training Scheme for Maratha youth will be implemented through the SARTHI under the Planning Department. The government has also directed departments implementing these schemes to make necessary technical changes on the MahaDBT portal to facilitate online applications from eligible Maratha beneficiaries.
The announcement is being viewed as one of the most key decisions taken by the state government since the latest phase of the Maratha reservation movement gained momentum under Jarange's leadership. While the decision does not directly address the larger issue of reservation in jobs and education, it substantially expands access to scholarships, fee waivers and skill-development schemes for Maratha students across Maharashtra. The move is likely to be seen as a major political and administrative response to the demands raised by the Maratha community over the past year.