Maharashtra RTE school admissions: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly criticised the Maharashtra government's decision to reduce the eligible school distance from 3 km to 1 km for admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, calling it "illegal." The party claimed that this move could leave over 35,000 seats vacant across the state.
AAP questioned whether poor families will now have to relocate closer to private schools to secure admissions.
Under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), private schools are required to reserve 25% of their seats for students from economically weaker sections (EWS) or disadvantaged groups, with the government reimbursing the schools.
This year, the state government announced that students will only be allowed to choose schools within a 1 km radius of their residence, down from the 3 km limit in the previous year.
Data from Maharashtra's RTE website shows that, in last year's admission cycle, 15,706 out of 88,182 students had schools located over 1 km from their homes. A total of 20,920 RTE seats remained vacant out of 1,09,102 seats available, according to The Indian Express. Due to the new 1 km rule, an additional 15,706 seats are expected to remain vacant, raising the total number of unfilled seats to over 35,000, said AAP Maharashtra spokesperson Mukund Kirdat.
AAP Maharashtra issued a statement quoting Kirdat: "The 25% reserved seats under RTE are a constitutional right for children from disadvantaged and weaker sections; it is not a matter that can be changed according to the government's convenience. Suddenly changing the rules and putting thousands of parents and students into confusion is unjust. We will not tolerate any attempt to deprive eligible children by imposing the 1 km restriction."
The statement further added:
"The admission process must be transparent and in accordance with the law. The previous rule should be implemented immediately, and all eligible students must receive justice. Education is a right, not a favor. The Aam Aadmi Party stands firmly against any decision that jeopardizes the future of students."
