3 min readPuneApr 8, 2026 10:25 PM IST
First published on: Apr 8, 2026 at 10:24 PM IST
Maharashtra’s first CBSE-affiliated Zilla Parishad (ZP) school named Jyoti-Savitri Zilla Parishad School will be inaugurated at Khanvadi, the ancestral village of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule in Pune district, by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on April 11. The school will be operated by non-profit organisation Christel House India and will provide free education to 260 underprivileged students that have already been admitted this year.
On the occasion of the bicentenary year of Mahatma Phule’s birth anniversary, the school will be inaugurated at 10 am by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Sunetra Pawar and Eknath Shinde, along with various ministers and public representatives.
Gajanan Patil, chief executive officer of the Pune Zilla Parishad, during a press conference on Wednesday, said that the school can accommodate a total of 2000 students in the future.
A 12-acre plot in Khanwadi has been provided to the Zilla Parishad by the state government and residential and non-residential formats of the school have been approved. Admissions have currently been granted to 260 underprivileged students from pre-primary to Class 2.
The student details were verified through house visits, said CEO Patil. From the next academic year, a residential school will be started from Class 6, where accommodation will be provided to 40 students. However, these admissions will be on the basis of merit and fees will be charged.
For the construction of the school, Fiat India Automobiles Private Limited has contributed Rs 21 crore under its corporate social responsibility (CSR), while Rs 15 crore has been provided through the District Planning Committee and Zilla Parishad cess funds. Construction of classrooms has been completed, and the hostel building is in the final stage.
Patil stated that this is the first Zilla Parishad school affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). “The school will offer digital education along with laboratories, a library, and sports facilities. Students will be provided breakfast, meals, uniforms, clothing, and transportation. The aim is to provide quality education to poor and needy students in the Khanwadi area. The school will have classes from pre-primary to Class 12, and around 2,000 students will be able to study here,” said Patil.
Crystal House India was selected after discussions with multiple educational institutes, informed Patil. The NGO has also recruited eligible teachers from Pune city and district. The school began operations on April 2 as per the CBSE academic year. Patil also said that administrative control of the school will remain with the Zilla Parishad and a ZP officer will be stationed in the school. However, the Zilla Parishad will not be involved in the daily operations of the school.
Jyoti-Savitri Zilla Parishad School. (Source: Pune Zilla Parishad) 
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