Nashik/Dhule: Supreme Court Justice Prasanna B. Varale has raised concerns over the closure of Marathi-medium schools in Maharashtra while thousands of crores of rupees are being allocated for the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela and other major projects.
Justice Varale was speaking at an event connected with his former school in Shirpur, Dhule district, on Saturday. He said he had no objection to government spending on development projects but questioned whether adequate attention was being given to education.
Referring to the proposed Kumbh expenditure, he said even a small portion of the amount could have helped prevent the closure of around 100 to 125 Marathi-medium schools in the state. He referred to figures of around ₹32,000 crore and ₹34,000 crore mentioned by the Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister for the Kumbh preparations, as well as about ₹11,000 crore allocated for a corridor project.
Justice Varale stressed that his remarks were not against the Kumbh Mela or development projects. Instead, he wanted the government to give greater priority to education and basic facilities in schools.
Recalling his own educational journey, Justice Varale said he studied up to Class 10 in municipal council and Zilla Parishad Marathi-medium schools. He said studying in Marathi had helped him develop a broad outlook and a sense of brotherhood. He also noted that studying in a regional language had never been a barrier to his professional growth.
He expressed concern over the education budget, saying that spending on education had not reached even 13% despite an increase in the number of students.
Justice Varale also highlighted the poor conditions in some government-run ashram schools. He referred to instances where girl students had to sleep on floors and mentioned the deaths of three students due to snakebites. He called for better basic infrastructure, including digital screens, computers and modern laboratories.
He also advised students to go beyond their textbooks and develop a habit of reading widely. Teachers, he said, should encourage students to explore new subjects and develop a broader understanding of the world.
