Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has extended the deadline for submitting online applications for the 25% reserved school seats under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. This provision applies to children from economically weaker and disadvantaged groups, ensuring equitable access to education.
The application process, which commenced on 14 January 2025, was initially set to close on 27 January 2025. However, to provide parents with additional time and convenience, the deadline has been extended to 2 February 2025.
According to the Education Department, over 2.3 lakh applications have been received for approximately 1.09 lakh seats available across 8,863 schools in the state. In Mumbai alone, more than 10,000 applications have been submitted for around 4,500 seats in 255 schools.
Following the application phase, a verification process will be conducted for all submissions. Thereafter, a lottery draw will determine the allocation of seats. Parents of selected children must secure admission to the designated school by submitting the required documents. No admission or school fees will be charged for these students, as the government reimburses tuition fees directly to the respective schools.
The RTE Act guarantees free education for children from Classes I to VIII in English-medium schools. The registration process for schools under the RTE quota for the 2025 academic year commenced on 18 December 2024. This initiative continues to play a crucial role in providing quality education to underprivileged children across Maharashtra.