'No free pvt schools for EWS kids in Maha if govt school nearby'

Students from economically backward homes in Maharashtra are set to be deprived of free access to private schools under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE) from the next academic session if there is a government school nearby, according to latest amendments to regulations made by the state's school education department that were published in the gazette on Thursday.

- Niraj Pandit

The amendment states that a disadvantaged child will not be eligible for an unaided private school in their respective area under the 25% RTE quota if there is a government or government-aided school within a kilometre radius. In effect, this is set to deprive children from this strata the opportunity to study in English medium private schools, particularly in urban centres like Mumbai and Pune, where government schools are abundant.