Maharashtra to Launch Fully Online, Merit-Based Class 11 Admissions from 2025

Pune, 7th May 2025: In a significant move to streamline and digitize the education system, Maharashtra’s School Education Department has announced that all Class 11 admissions for the 2025–26 academic year will be conducted entirely online through a centralized, merit-based system. The new process will officially begin on May 8.

This initiative will apply to all recognized higher secondary schools and junior colleges affiliated with the Maharashtra State Board, across all streams—Arts, Commerce, and Science. The only exception will be vocational courses under the SSVSC scheme, which will continue to follow an offline admission process.

Timeline for Implementation
According to the official notification, schools and junior colleges must upload and verify their course and stream details on the centralized portal between May 8 and 15. Stream verification by education department officials will be completed by May 16.

Student registration and preference selection for colleges will be open from May 19 to 28.
Before the main admission rounds begin, a special “zero round” will be conducted to allocate seats under the management, minority, and in-house quotas. A detailed schedule for the subsequent admission rounds will be released in phases. The academic year for Class 11 students will begin on August 11.

No Direct Admissions Under Management Quota
In a major policy shift, the department has imposed a strict ban on direct admissions under the management quota outside the centralized system. All admissions must now follow the merit list generated by the online platform, ensuring transparency and fairness.

A state-level committee will soon publish a comprehensive handbook outlining the reservation policies, admission process, timelines, and key steps to be followed by students and institutions.

The new guidelines were announced by Tushar Mahajan, Deputy Secretary of the School Education Department.