Mumbai: 47 Unauthorized Schools Shut Down, 420 Under Scrutiny, Reveals Maharashtra Education Minister

Maharashtra School Education Minister Dada Bhuse revealed in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that there are 420 unauthorized schools in Mumbai, of which 47 have already been shut down. In a written reply to a question raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav and others, Bhuse noted that 103 of these schools have been fined, while criminal cases have been filed against 126 others. The state government is actively pursuing action against these unauthorized institutions, highlighting a significant breach in regulatory compliance within Mumbai’s education system.

In contrast, Bhuse pointed out that 1,057 schools in Mumbai — including both aided and unaided institutions — are currently operating with the required permissions. However, in 2022, 218 of these schools failed to apply for renewal of their authorization. Of these, 211 schools were later granted permission under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, while seven were shut down due to non-compliance. These findings underline the importance of regular audits and strict adherence to regulatory norms to ensure the integrity of educational institutions across the city.

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Responding to another question by BJP MLA Sneha Dubey Pandit, Minister Bhuse disclosed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is in the process of being established. This SIT will investigate allegations regarding the illegal inclusion of names of teaching and non-teaching staff in the school education department's official dashboard. The move comes amid growing concerns about misuse of the system and potential fraudulent appointments. The government’s action reflects a broader push toward transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms in the state’s education sector.