MUMBAI: Even as thousands of auto and taxi drivers have been attending Marathi language classes organised by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) and literary groups, many now allege that they are being failed in roadside proficiency tests after being asked questions that were never part of the training syllabus.At a demonstration held in Kandivali on Monday, several drivers claimed they had diligently completed Marathi lessons and learnt at least 16 basic conversational sentences commonly used while interacting with commuters. However, they said the questions posed by RTO squads during roadside inspections bore little resemblance to what had been taught in the classes.“We learnt at least 16 conversational Marathi sentences during the classes conducted by the RTO and literary groups. But during the road test none of the information we had learnt during the course was asked. Many of us have now received notices despite taking Marathi lessons from the RTO and literary groups,” said an auto driver participating in the protest.Sanjay Mishra, an auto driver from Andheri, questioned both the implementation of the language requirement and the availability of learning facilities.“The notice asks drivers to learn Marathi within a month, but where is the proper facility to learn the language? Also, I have heard that some of the drivers who completed the course at the RTO recently were asked questions from outside the syllabus and they failed in the final road test during the weekend. They too have got notices now,” he said.Auto unions have rallied behind the agitating drivers. Union leader Thampy Kurien said their primary demands include granting more time for nearly 4 lakh drivers to learn Marathi, reducing what they describe as harsh punitive measures, and ensuring that language assessments are restricted to the officially prescribed syllabus.The agitation stems from growing unrest over Maharashtra’s Marathi language requirement for auto and taxi drivers. A section of drivers warned that their strike could continue for up to three days if the government fails to address their concerns.In Kandivali, protesters attempted a road blockade, although police said traffic movement remained largely unaffected and seven to eight demonstrators were detained.The strike disrupted transport services across several suburbs, including Andheri, Jogeshwari, Goregaon, Kandivali, Borivali and Juhu in the western suburbs, as well as Kurla, Ghatkopar, Bhandup and Mulund in the east. In some areas, groups of protesters allegedly stopped operating autos and asked passengers to disembark.Former MP Sanjay Nirupam said he had received complaints that some RTO officials were imposing fines of up to Rs 25,000 when drivers should instead be served a one-month notice.“Drivers also complained that questions asked during the road test were out of syllabus and unrelated to what they had learnt in Marathi lessons over the past three months. This is uncalled for,” he said.A senior transport official said more than 3,000 drivers have already been issued show-cause notices and given one month to improve their Marathi proficiency.Auto unions, however, argue that inadequate training facilities and confusion over testing parameters have created widespread fear among drivers. Meanwhile, commuters continue to bear the brunt of the disruption, with many urging authorities and unions to quickly find a solution.
