Poor response to RTE admissions after rule changes

With the deadline for claiming the seats reserved for the marginalised groups at private unaided schools in the state around the corner, less than 44,000 parents have so far registered for the centralised admission process. This is a far cry from the record 3.64 lakh applications received last year.

- MUSAB QAZI

The strikingly poor response appears to be a result of the Maharashtra government’s decision to exclude those unaided or self-financed schools that are in the vicinity of government-supported schools from the centralised admissions. 

Most of the parents logging into the admission portal are unable to select private schools of their choice, with only government and aided schools being made available to them. The disappointed parents, who are eager to secure admission of their children at privately-run schools, have decided to opt out of the process.

Data from the admission website reveals that most of the districts in the state are yet to cross even the 1,000 registration-mark, with some like Sindhudurg and Gadchiroli fewer than 100 aspirants. Pune tops the list with more than 12,000 registrations, followed by Nagpur 6,002) and Thane 8,214). As of Saturday evening, less than 2,000 parents from Mumbai have signed for the admissions.