Pune: New Rules Planned For RTE Admission Process; Education Department Seeks Parents’ Feedback By April 25

Pune, 19th April 2025: The Maharashtra Education Department is set to introduce new rules for the admission process under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which reserves 25% of seats in private schools for students from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds. A committee headed by the Commissioner of Education has been formed to review and recommend changes, and parents are being encouraged to submit their feedback by 25th April.

Under the RTE Act, the government reimburses private schools for the fees of students admitted under the 25% reservation quota. In recent years, the admission process has undergone various changes. Last year, the department prioritized admissions in government and government-aided schools instead of private institutions. A separate application process was launched for this purpose.

However, the revised process faced strong opposition and was challenged in court. The judiciary struck down the changes and ordered the department to revert to the earlier admission procedure, which continues to be followed currently.

In light of past challenges and in a bid to simplify the process further, the Education Department now plans to amend the rules once again. As per a circular published on the official RTE website, a newly appointed committee will study the current process and recommend updates to the state government.

To ensure the new rules are in line with public expectations, the committee is inviting inputs from parents. Suggestions must be limited to 100 words, directly relevant to the RTE process, and should not include vague statements or criticisms of specific individuals, schools, or institutions. Parents are advised to submit their responses under the ‘Parents’ Feedback’ section on the official RTE portal.