The Education Department has extended the admission deadline under the 25% reservation quota of the Right to Education (RTE) Act to 10 March, following concerns over the low number of confirmed admissions. Previously set for 28 February, the extension was deemed necessary as more than 54,000 out of over 1 lakh students allocated seats in private and unaided schools have yet to confirm their enrolment.
An official from the Directorate of Primary Education, which administers the RTE admissions, stated that the extension was granted in view of the current number of confirmed admissions. Data from the official RTE website reveals that over 3.5 lakh applications were submitted out of which a total of 1,01,967 students were allocated seats following the lottery-based selection process. However, till today, only 47,886 students have confirmed their admission, leaving more than 54,000 seats unoccupied.
One of the reasons cited for the delay is the difficulty in obtaining the necessary admission documents, which may have hindered many students from completing the process. Last year, delays in the admission process resulted in over 11,000 seats remaining vacant, and this year, authorities are striving to conclude the admissions by May in an effort to minimise the number of unfilled seats. The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also recently instructed the Director of Primary Education to ensure that the RTE admission process for the academic year 2025–26 is completed within this timeframe.
Expressing concern over the recurring delays, Nitin Dalvi, President of the Maharashtra Students, Parents, and Teachers Federation, has warned of potential legal action should the situation persist. He emphasised that if children remain without admission by May, parents will be compelled to enrol them in private institutions at their own expense, thereby undermining the fundamental objective of the RTE Act, which seeks to provide free education to economically disadvantaged students.
The RTE Act mandates that 25% of seats in private schools be reserved for children from weaker economic backgrounds to facilitate access to quality education. Authorities continue to underscore the importance of timely admissions, urging parents and schools to expedite the process to ensure that eligible students fully benefit from this initiative.