Admissions under Right to Education still pending as Bombay High Court hears matter

Schools across Maharashtra state reopened on Monday, but not for those students who desire to get admission through Right to Education (RTE) online admission process. Admissions under RTE are conducted through a lottery system by the BMC, and the second phase of the lottery is still at least fifteen days away.

The process of admissions under RTE is delayed because of a conflict between some schools and the state government. These schools want to admit children under RTE quota to pre-primary classes, but the state government wants admissions to take place only in standard 1. The schools have moved the Bombay High Court over the matter.

The BMC has been asked by the HC to disclose how many children are yet to get admission in schools, and how many schools have vacant seats under 25% quota set aside under RTE.

Shambhavi Jogi, Education Officer, BMC Education department, said, "We will wait till the date for the second lottery is declared by the state education department in Pune. Right now we have been asked not to conduct any RTE admissions, and to submit the details which the court has asked for."

In a related development, K Narayan, Secretary, Anudanit Shikshan Bachao Samiti, took 50 parents to meet the Deputy Director of School Education on Monday. He demanded that the department take action against those schools which has refused to admit students under the RTE. These schools are waiting for the state government to issue specific instructions following the court order.