Pune and Maharashtra are facing a tough time filling RTE seats this academic year. With over 44,000 seats still empty out of the 105,242 available, the state is grappling with various challenges in implementing the Right to Education Act.
Confusion over policy changes has been a major hurdle, with the government initially exempting private schools from the RTE process, only to have the decision overturned by the courts. This led to many parents either not applying for RTE admissions or not updating their application forms in time.
Additionally, some parents have a preference for well-known schools, leading to vacancies in other institutions. This, coupled with a government notification exempting private schools from offering free seats, has deterred many economically weaker section parents from applying for RTE admissions.
Strict document verification requirements have also caused issues, with minor errors leading to admissions being denied. For example, a parent had their child’s admission rejected due to a spelling mistake on their documents or an outdated address on their Aadhaar card.
Despite these challenges, the government remains optimistic about the situation. State Primary Education Director Sharad Gosavi mentioned that the delays in admissions may have been due to the court case, but there are plans for four additional rounds of admissions to fill the remaining RTE seats. Last year saw 84,000 admissions under the RTE Act, and 60,000 have already been achieved this year, with hopes of more to come.
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