In a significant change to the Right to Education (RTE) admission process, the Maharashtra school education department has restricted school selection to within one kilometre of a student’s registered residential address, replacing the earlier provision that allowed applicants to choose schools within a three kilometre radius and beyond. Additionally, parents will now have to upload all required documents online at the time of application, instead of submitting them later during admission.
The revised guidelines were issued through a Government Resolution (GR) dated February 12, even as parents across the state await the commencement of RTE admissions. While the core framework of the admission process remains unchanged, officials said the two key modifications, the reduced distance limit and mandatory online document submission, are aimed at improving transparency and preventing last minute disputes.
Under the RTE Act, 25 percent seats in private unaided schools are reserved for children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, with the state government reimbursing the schools for the fees.
Director of Primary Education Sharad Gosavi said the changes are based on recommendations of a committee constituted in January 2025 to suggest reforms to the RTE admissions process. Officials said the panel also took public feedback into account. Admissions under the revised process are expected to begin next week.
Gosavi said, “The one km restriction will ensure that children are admitted to nearby schools. Whereas with mandatory online submission of all required documents, there will be no room for confusion at the time of admission when a seat is allotted to an applicant. In the past there have been multiple instances when admission is denied by the school, after seat allotment; due to incorrect or insufficient document proof.”
As part of the updated procedure, applicants must upload Aadhaar cards of both the student and parent. If the residential address mentioned in the application differs from the one on the Aadhaar card, parents will be required to submit a valid rental agreement or other proof of current residence. Officials clarified that in case of complaints, the applicant’s address will be verified to rule out fraud.
Authorities noted that under the earlier system, some applicants submitted temporary rental agreements in localities close to preferred schools to secure admission, a practice the new verification norms seek to curb.
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The state’s school education department had constituted a committee under the leadership of the Commissioner of School Education, Sachindra Pratap Singh, to suggest modifications to the RTE admissions process after receiving several complaints. These complaints came from parents applying for admission under RTE and schools offering seats under the quota.
According to officials from the department, parents most commonly complained that schools denied admissions when they reached to confirm admission to seats allotted to them, the reason being incorrect or insufficient supporting documents. Schools raised concerns about parents living far away securing admission using incorrect address proof. Additional complaints included delays in the admission process.
In response to the complaints over delays, the revised process proposes a strict time-line, stating that the admissions should begin in January and conclude by April. This timeline will apply to the admission cycle for the academic year 2027-28, as per the GR.
School admissions under RTE have often been surrounded by controversy. In 2024, the state government made the biggest amendment to the process by exempting private schools located within one-kilometre radius of government or aided schools from participating in RTE admissions. The decision drew widespread backlash, and was challenged in the Bombay High Court which quashed the controversial notification.
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Another major point of contention for private schools participating in RTE admissions is the delay in fee-reimbursement from the government. Associations of managements of private schools participating in RTE admissions have claimed that the pending reimbursements have crossed Rs 2000 crore cumulatively. This is the reason why many private schools are reluctant to register for RTE admissions. However, the state’s school education department maintains that all eligible schools are required to participate in the RTE admissions process.
Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra.
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