53 Pune Schools Refuse RTE Admissions Despite Government Efforts

Admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act are about to begin, despite government holidays. However, in Pune, a worrying issue has arisen. 53 schools have refused to register for RTE admissions and are denying admission to students under the RTE scheme.

The State Education Department is now actively working to incorporate these schools into the RTE admission process, despite the looming deadline.

Initially, schools were given a deadline to register for RTE admission, yet many self-financed schools failed to do so. This reluctance stems from recent amendments to the RTE Act, particularly concerning changes in fee reimbursement rules. Consequently, numerous schools are opting out of participating in the RTE admission process.

This year, 75,856 schools across the state have registered, offering over 9.70 lakh seats for RTE admission.

According to Pune Zilla Parishad education officials, there are 5,248 eligible schools for RTE admission in the Pune district. Of these, 5,195 schools have completed registration, leaving only 53 schools unwilling to participate in RTE admissions. However, the education department is actively engaging with these schools to encourage their participation.

Sharad Gosavi, State Director of Primary Education, emphasized, “The process of student registration for RTE admission is underway through the NIC platform. We are striving to commence student registration within the current week. However, in case of any delays, the registration process will undoubtedly begin the following week.”

Efforts are underway to ensure that all eligible students can avail of their right to education under the RTE Act, despite the challenges posed by the non-cooperation of certain schools.