Panvel: In a significant development, the Group Education Officer of Panvel, Sitaram Mohite, has ordered the cancellation of admissions for 23 students in two schools in Kharghar. The affected schools are Vishwajyot School, which had 13 students, and Ramsheth Thakur School, with 10 students. This action follows the misuse of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which provides free and compulsory education for children from the economically weaker sections.
The issue came to light when doubts were raised about the residential addresses of certain students admitted under the RTE Act for the academic year 2025-26. The admissions had been approved based on documents submitted by parents via the RTE portal. However, investigations revealed that many of the students did not actually reside at the addresses provided on the portal.
According to the verification committee, some parents had submitted false proof of residence to secure admission under the 25% RTE quota, which led to the cancellation of the students' admissions. The decision was made after complaints from concerned parents and schools, prompting a thorough investigation into the matter.
On April 17, Education Officer Sitaram Mohite issued instructions to the District Education Officer to initiate the process of canceling the 23 admissions on the RTE portal.
Widespread Misuse of RTE in Kharghar
This incident is part of a larger trend of RTE misuse in the city of Kharghar, where many families—particularly those from outside the area—are using local addresses to secure admissions in reputed schools. In some cases, bogus rent agreements were being used as proof of residence to meet the eligibility criteria for RTE admission.
The widespread desire of parents to get their children into renowned schools in Kharghar has led to fraudulent practices aimed at exploiting the RTE quota system.
RTE Benefits Extend to Wealthy Parents
Interestingly, the misuse of RTE is not limited to lower-income families. Even affluent parents, including entrepreneurs and high-ranking professionals, have been found seeking benefits under the RTE Act. This includes several politicians from the Panvel region, who have reportedly facilitated RTE admissions for their associates.
The Education Department continue its investigations, and verification is still underway in several other schools in the region.