The Maharashtra government has extended the deadline for confirming admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act until March 10, 2025, amid concerns about low confirmation rates for students selected through the state’s lottery system. With only 50,423 of the 101,967 students confirming their admissions, officials recognized the need for additional time for parents to finalize their children’s placements.
This year, the RTE admission process witnessed 3,05,152 applications for just 1,09,087 available seats across 8,863 schools, which includes 5,157 seats located within Mumbai. The deadline was initially set for February 28, and officials have emphasized the importance of confirming admissions to secure educational opportunities under the RTE provisions.
Officials attribute the low confirmation rate to several factors, including parents not receiving SMS alerts about their allotments. To assist families, the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) had previously urged parents to check the status of applications on the RTE admissions portal.
On top of this, the Directorate issued guidelines to clarify the proof of residence required for the admission process. The aim was to address confusion over documentation, as the verification of residence has been cited as one of the primary reasons for delays. An official stated, "This clarifying notification will resolve any doubt there may be about proof of residence."
According to the guidelines, if parents own homes within the area of the selected school, they can provide various documents as proof of residence. Accepted documents include ration cards, driving licenses, electricity bills, property tax receipts, and voter ID cards. If the parents do not own property, they can supply documents reflecting the residence they currently occupy. Sharad Gosavi, Director of Primary Education, remarked, "Toensure authenticity, verification officers may conduct physical visits to confirm the residence details provided by parents."
The urgency surrounding the confirmation process is palpable. With only about 47,492 students from the first selection list securing their admission as of now, officials are encouraging parents to finalize the admissions before the newly extended deadline. The education department remains hopeful this extension will help more families secure educational opportunities for their children.
Parents must adhere to this newly designated date to avoid losing their allotted seats. Given the uncertainties and challenges this academic year has brought, the Maharashtra government’s decision to extend the admissions window appears timely and necessary to support families seeking to navigate the education system.
While the DPE has set comprehensive guidelines for address verification, parents' engagement and proactive measures are key to ensuring their children receive the education they are entitled to under the RTE Act. With this latest extension, there is still hope for those yet to confirm their admissions—an opportunity for many children from socioeconomically backward classes to receive free education at private unaided schools, reflecting the intended spirit of the RTE.