Maharashtra Junior College Teachers Oppose Statewide Online 11th Class Admission Process, Demand Offline Option for Rural Areas

Pune, 22nd May 2025: The Maharashtra Junior College Teachers’ Federation has strongly opposed the state government’s decision to conduct 11th class admissions entirely online across the state, calling for a return to offline processes in rural regions. The federation has submitted a letter to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Education Minister highlighting ten key reasons against the online system.

Professor Mukund Andhalkar, the federation’s coordinator, issued a press statement outlining the concerns. He noted that until last year, online admissions were limited to major cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, and Amaravati, while rural junior colleges continued with offline procedures. However, this year, the government has mandated online admissions for all junior colleges statewide.

The federation’s letter details significant challenges in rural areas: poor network coverage, especially in tribal and hilly regions; lack of Android smartphones among parents and students; fewer students than available seats in rural 11th class admissions; no demand from students, parents, or educational institutions for online admissions; insufficient awareness about the online process; and financial exploitation of students and parents under the guise of online admission support.

Professor Andhalkar further stated, “Even during summer vacations, teachers dedicate significant time to this work with little result. Online admissions delay the start of classes and cause academic losses for students. Unnecessary expenses are incurred for the online process, and technical glitches on the admission portal have led to frustration among parents and students.” The federation’s letter urges the government to halt the online process and revert to the previous offline system for rural areas.

“Due to these issues, we have formally requested the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Education Minister to stop the online admission process and continue with offline admissions as before,” said Professor Andhalkar. The teachers’ body remains firm in its stance, emphasizing the negative impact of the current policy on rural education and student welfare.