Pune: Over 1 Lakh Seats Registered Under RTE For 2025-26 Academic Year In Maharashtra

Pune, 6th January 2025: A total of 8,316 schools across Maharashtra have registered for the admission process under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, securing 1,01,474 seats for the 2025-26 academic year. These seats represent 25% reserved admissions in private unaided schools for children from economically weaker sections and underprivileged backgrounds, offering them free education.

The registration process began earlier this year, in December 2024, with schools being provided access to the RTE portal from 18th to 31st December. However, due to an initial lack of sufficient registrations and incomplete verification by some schools, the deadline was extended until 4th January 2025. The Directorate of Primary Education has since warned that no further extensions will be provided and that disciplinary action will be taken against officials failing to ensure compliance.

During the previous academic year (2024-25), 9,138 English-medium schools participated in the RTE admissions, offering 1,02,434 seats. This year, despite the extended deadline, a few schools are yet to register, leading to a slight reduction in the total number of seats available.

The district-wise registration numbers reveal Pune leading the chart with 758 schools registering 14,274 seats. Other districts with significant contributions include Thane (606 schools, 11,141 seats), Nagpur (639 schools, 6,960 seats), and Mumbai (314 schools, 5,857 seats).

Here are the details of registered schools and available seats across notable districts in bracket:

Ahilya Nagar (Ahmednagar): 348 (3287)
Akola: 187 (1983)
Amravati: 218 (2387)
Bhandara: 87 (827)
Beed: 199 (2037)
Buldhana: 230 (2818)
Chandrapur: 183 (1516)
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad): 526 (4076)
Dharashiv (Osmanabad): 107 (1137)
Dhule: 99 (1177)
Gadchiroli: 56 (472)
Gondia: 123 (970)
Hingoli: 87 (790)
Jalgaon: 268 (3168)
Jalna: 294 (2118)
Kolhapur: 328 (3253)
Latur: 207 (2173)
Mumbai: 314 (5857)
Nagpur: 639 (6960)
Nanded: 239 (2728)
Nandurbar: 43 (359)
Nashik: 407 (5296)
Palghar: 272 (5142)
Parbhani: 152 (1325)
Pune: 758 (14274)
Raigad: 170 (3291)
Ratnagiri: 90 (772)
Sangli: 212 (1944)
Satara: 176 (1489)
Sindhudurg: 45 (267)
Solapur: 278 (2551)
Thane: 606 (11141)
Wardha: 112 (1266)
Washim: 59 (652)
Yavatmal: 197 (1971)

Despite the comprehensive registration drive, some districts have lower participation, with Nandurbar (43 schools, 359 seats) and Sindhudurg (45 schools, 267 seats) at the bottom of the list.

While the registration numbers indicate substantial progress, the issue of incomplete registrations highlights the need for stricter adherence to deadlines. The Directorate of Primary Education has emphasized the importance of compliance and plans to address such discrepancies by holding responsible officials accountable.