The deadline for submitting applications under the Right to Education (RTE) quota has been extended, offering relief to parents seeking admission for their children. As per the revised schedule, parents can now complete the online application process until March 31. The extension comes amid a significant response to the admission drive, with more than 275,000 applications already submitted. The move is expected to provide an additional opportunity for those who were unable to apply earlier, while also allowing applicants to review and update their preferences in line with the latest changes announced by the education authorities.
Primary Education Director Sharad Gosavi announced the extension through an official statement, highlighting a key development in the process. The High Court recently struck down the education department’s rule that restricted parents to selecting schools within a one-kilometre radius for 25 per cent RTE admissions. Following the court’s decision, the Directorate of Primary Education has allowed parents who had already filled out applications to revise them. At the same time, parents who had not yet applied have been given a fresh opportunity to participate in the admission process under the revised guidelines.
With the removal of the one-kilometre restriction, parents now have greater flexibility in choosing schools for their children. They can select institutions located within one kilometre, between one and three kilometres, as well as those beyond three kilometres. To facilitate this change, the education department has enabled an option on the admission portal that allows parents to ‘unconfirm’ and then ‘reconfirm’ their applications through their login credentials. This feature ensures that applicants can modify their choices easily without having to start the entire process from scratch, making the system more user-friendly and accessible.
This year, a total of 114,785 seats are available for admission across 8,700 schools under the RTE quota. According to data published on the official RTE portal, 275,679 applications had been received by Wednesday evening. With the deadline now extended, officials expect the number of applications to rise further in the coming days. The consistent trend of applications exceeding the number of available seats highlights the growing demand for RTE admissions and the increasing awareness among parents about their rights under the Act.
A comparison with previous years shows a similar pattern of high demand. Last year, the admission process began in December for 109,102 seats across 8,863 schools, with 305,151 students registering for admission. Of these, more than 88,000 students secured seats, while around 21,000 remained vacant. In 2024, approximately 78,000 seats were filled, leaving nearly 26,000 unoccupied. This year, the number of seats has increased by around 5,000 compared to last year, but applications continue to be nearly double the available capacity, making the competition intense.
Once the application process concludes, the selection of eligible students will be carried out through a lottery system. The authorities will publish a list of selected candidates, along with a waiting list for those who do not secure admission initially. Students whose names appear in the selection list will be given priority for admission. If any seats remain vacant after this stage, candidates from the waiting list will be offered an opportunity to secure admission, ensuring that the available seats are filled efficiently and transparently.