In a significant development for education in Maharashtra, the state school education department has initiated the admission process under the Right to Education Act (RTE). The process kicked off with the registration of schools, marking the beginning of a crucial phase for both educational institutions and parents.
Sharad Gosavi, the State Director of the Primary Education Department, revealed that the department has sought guidance from the government regarding the implementation of Maratha reservation in the RTE process. This move comes after recent amendments to the RTE Act, which now mandate over 90,000 schools in the state to register within the stipulated deadline of March 18.
The annual anticipation surrounding the RTE admission process in Maharashtra involves lakhs of parents, with 80,000 to 90,000 students typically gaining admission through this route. However, a noteworthy change this year involves a government directive stating that if there is an English medium school within 1 km of a government or aided school, admission will not be granted to the latter. This provision extends beyond English medium schools, bringing various institutions under the purview of the RTE and is expected to enhance overall admission capacity.
Despite the commencement of the RTE admission process, the state education department’s delay in initiating the school registration and online admission process is likely to cause a delay in the actual admission process. This delay has been a longstanding concern, prompting calls for expeditious completion of the admission process within the next three to four months.
Sharad Gosavi addressed the concerns, stating, “According to the government order, the primary education department has started the process of school registration. Student registration will follow soon after. In the meantime, parents are advised to prepare the necessary documents for RTE admission. Additionally, guidance is being sought from the government on the proper implementation of reservation for the Maratha community in the RTE process.”
As the RTE admission process unfolds in Maharashtra, stakeholders eagerly await further developments and clarifications on the implementation of Maratha reservation.
