Pune: Low RTE Admission Numbers Raise Concerns; Just 13,740 Admissions Confirmed So Far
Pune, 24th February 2025: With just five days remaining for the admission deadline, only 13,740 students have been admitted to schools under the 25% reserved quota of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in Maharashtra. The sluggish pace of admissions has raised concerns among parents and education authorities.
This year, a total of 1,09,087 seats have been allocated across 8,853 schools in the state. In response, 3,05,152 applications were submitted, and an online lottery was conducted on 10th February to select students. From the lottery, 1,01,916 students were shortlisted for admission, while 85,457 students were placed on the waiting list. The deadline for confirming admissions is set for 28th February, after which students from the waiting list will start receiving admission offers via SMS.
Since 14th February, parents have been able to verify documents and confirm their children’s admissions through the designated verification committee. However, the number of confirmed admissions has yet to surpass 15,000, indicating a slow response. Parents have started rushing to complete the required documentation, but the verification process remains sluggish, causing delays in school enrollments.
In terms of district-wise admissions, the numbers remain low. So far, 824 students have been admitted in Ahilya Nagar, 666 in Mumbai, 673 in Nashik, 1,157 in Palghar, 1,929 in Pune, and 2,096 in Thane. Admissions in other districts have been notably lower, adding to the urgency of completing the process before the deadline.
Education officials are urging parents to expedite document submissions to avoid last-minute issues. Meanwhile, schools and verification committees are working to streamline the admission process to ensure maximum enrollments before the deadline.
