Pune: The Maharashtra government has introduced a new policy regulating the screening of films, short films, plays, and e-educational content in schools.

As per the new guidelines, schools will be allowed to show a maximum of three such educational materials per academic year, with a mandatory requirement that two of them must be in Marathi.

The School Education Department has released an official government resolution outlining this new policy. The goal is to enrich students' learning experiences through entertainment while ensuring that academic schedules are not disrupted.

Proposals for screening films and other materials on various topics had been increasing, which necessitated the need for clear guidelines to protect students’ study time.

According to the new policy, the three films, short films, or plays shown throughout the year must cover different subjects. The e-educational content should focus on historical, cultural, social, or scientific themes and be appropriate for school-aged children.

All material will undergo careful evaluation before receiving approval, ensuring it promotes social education and awareness through entertainment. Permissions granted will be valid for one year, and the same content cannot be shown the following year.

Schools, both public and private, will be allowed to screen the approved materials throughout the academic year once permission is granted, following a report from the review committee.

The responsibility for approving these materials has been handed to the Education Commissioner, who must also submit an annual report on the screenings to the state government.

Inspections will be conducted to verify whether the approved materials are being shown only by the authorized institutions. If any violations of the terms of approval or complaints arise, the authorities have the power to immediately revoke the approval.