Number of applications lower than previous years, deadline to apply for RTE admissions extended

Due to this, the number of applications had remained very low.

However, on May 6, the Bombay High Court put a stay on this amendment and the government opened a new round of admissions on May 17, declaring all previous applications void.

For the academic session 2024-25, 1,05,116 seats were declared open in 9,207 schools across the state. The number of applications crossed the number of vacancies within five days.

By the evening of May 31, the last day for RTE applications, over 2,24,000 applications were received. In Pune, the city which has the highest number of seats, there are 17,714 vacancies in 970 schools. Over 45,237 applications were received for the same.

This, however, is not close to the number of applications that have been received in previous years. In 2023-24, over 3.64 lakh applications were received for roughly 1.01 lakh seats. In 2022-23, over 2.82 lakh applications were received for the same 1.01 lakh seats.

At the request of parents, the Directorate of Primary Education has decided to extend the deadline for filling the online application forms up to June 4.

Director of Primary Education Sharad Gosavi said, “The online application forms for RTE admissions were invited starting May 17 up to May 31. This is now being extended to June 4. However, parents should note that no further extensions will be granted and we request all forms be filled before the due date.”