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Journalism of Courage
Private schools in Pune have opposed the Maharashtra government’s decision to reject their RTE reimbursement claims for 2023–24. At a press conference held by the Independent English Schools Association (IESA) and Maharashtra Rajya Shikshan Sanstha Mahamandal, school representatives said 453 schools in Pune were denied reimbursements due to alleged rule violations.
They argued that the schools followed the Government Resolution (GR) dated July 7, 2023, which required a self-declaration on ten criteria.
However, the education department applied a new GR from March 13, 2025, retroactively, which the associations called illegal and unfair.
Schools said their claims were rejected for minor issues such as unclear documents, mismatched bank names, or missing lease agreements. They questioned why only Pune schools were targeted and demanded consistent rules across districts.
The associations warned that this decision would financially strain private, unaided schools and affect RTE students. They demanded immediate reimbursement, equal treatment, and the withdrawal of the new GR for past admissions.
IESA members, including Vagish Dhamankar and Varad Dharurkar, urged schools across Maharashtra to unite and raise their concerns.
