Pune: Over 13,000 RTE Seats Lost in 9 Years, 325 Private Schools Exit 25% Quota
Pune, 16th February 2026: Access to free education for underprivileged children in Pune has narrowed significantly over the past nine years, with 325 private schools and 13,255 seats dropping out of the 25 percent reservation mandate under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act. The decline has reduced opportunities for students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Official data show that in 2018–19, as many as 8,980 private unaided schools offered 1,26,140 seats under the RTE quota. For the 2026–27 academic year, the number has fallen to 8,655 schools and 1,12,885 seats. The consistent drop has raised concerns among parents and education rights groups.
Dr Sharad Javadekar of the Akhil Bharatiya Samajwadi Shikshan Hakk Sabha and Surekha Khare of the 25 Percent Reservation Parents’ Association said the decline points to a gradual weakening of the RTE framework. They alleged that several schools are distancing themselves from the admission process.
Delayed reimbursement of fees by the state government has been cited as a major reason. In addition, a number of schools have obtained minority status, which exempts them from implementing the 25 percent quota. Activists also alleged that some institutions continue to operate despite not fully complying with RTE norms. Several prominent schools in Pune do not feature in the 2026–27 RTE admission list.
Dr Javadekar has called for a verification drive to ensure that linguistic minority institutions have at least 51 percent students from the declared minority community, as required under norms. He has also demanded that the 2026–27 RTE admission process begin without further delay.
Parents’ representatives said uncertainty surrounding RTE admissions has become a recurring issue. They claimed that each year, some private unaided schools resist implementation, leading to confusion and anxiety among families from economically weaker backgrounds.
With thousands of seats already lost, activists warned that unless the government ensures timely fee reimbursement, scrutinises minority status claims, and strictly enforces existing norms, the objective of equitable access to education under the RTE Act could be further undermined.
