Maharashtra Sees Dip In School Registrations Under RTE Act Amid Upcoming Admissions
Maharashtra Sees Dip In School Registrations Under RTE Act Amid Upcoming Admissions
The Maharashtra government has announced that online registrations for admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act will commence in the second week of January. However, concerns have been raised over a significant drop in school registrations under the RTE Act. As of now, only 4,240 schools across Maharashtra have registered, offering 55,413 seats, which is a steep decline compared to the 2024-25 academic year when 9,217 schools participated and made available 1,05,242 seats.
Director of Primary Education for Maharashtra, Sharad Gosavi, stated to the media person that the government aims to streamline the admission process for the academic year 2025-26 and ensure timely allocation of seats. “Our goal is to declare the list of selected students and the waiting list by February or March, giving parents ample time to apply and confirm admissions,” he added.
The initial deadline for school registrations was set for December 31 but has been extended to January 4 to encourage more schools to join. Gosavi assured that the final numbers are not expected to decline drastically, as many schools have already applied, and their registrations are being verified.
Under the RTE Act, 25% of seats in entry-level classes are reserved for children from disadvantaged backgrounds in private, aided, and non-minority schools. The state sets a uniform fee structure and reimburses private schools for these students’ education till Class VIII.
Here is a breakdown of the RTE schools and vacancies in various districts:
- – Pune: 284 schools, 5,226 vacancies
- – Ahilyanagar: 318 schools, 3,079 vacancies
- – Kolhapur: 319 schools, 3,178 vacancies
- – Mumbai: 233 schools, 4,316 vacancies
- – Nagpur: 193 schools, 2,194 vacancies
- – Nashik: 304 schools, 4,229 vacancies
- – Thane: 290 schools, 6,009 vacancies
Parents seeking admission for their children under the RTE scheme can register online from the second week of January.
