RTE Admissions: Distance Rule Relaxed, Application Deadline Extended Till March 25

The education department has withdrawn the one-kilometer restriction for RTE admissions, allowing parents to apply to schools within one to three kilometres, with the deadline extended to March 25.

Pune | March 17, 2026: In a major relief for parents, the state education department has rolled back the earlier restriction that limited Right to Education (RTE) admissions to schools within a one-kilometre radius. Authorities have now clarified that, as per the earlier system, parents can choose schools located within one to three kilometres, and even beyond in certain cases.

The decision comes after objections were raised over the one-kilometre limit, with concerns that it restricted access to schools and reduced options for parents. Following legal intervention and mounting pressure, the department has now eased the distance criteria, allowing greater flexibility in school selection.

Alongside this, the deadline for submitting online applications, making corrections and filing new forms has been extended till March 25. Earlier, the last date to apply was March 18. Officials have also enabled a facility on the portal for parents to review and reconfirm applications submitted till March 16.

Under the RTE 25 per cent quota, children from economically weaker sections are granted free admission in private schools, with the government reimbursing the fees to institutions. Every year, the admission process sees a large number of applications from parents seeking quality education opportunities for their children.

For the current academic year, a total of 1,14,719 seats are available across 8,698 schools in Maharashtra under the RTE quota. The online application process began on February 17, and as per official data, over 2,17,000 applications have already been received from across the state.

Education officials stated that the earlier one-kilometre restriction had led to concerns, especially in areas where limited schools were available within that range. In such cases, parents were unable to apply to nearby schools located slightly farther away, causing inconvenience and reducing admission chances.

The revised guidelines now ensure that if a school is not available within a one-kilometre radius, children cannot be denied admission to schools located at a greater distance. The system has been updated to allow parents to select schools based on relaxed distance criteria through the online portal.

Officials said the move aims to make the admission process more inclusive and practical, particularly for families living in areas with limited school options. The decision is also expected to increase participation in the RTE admission process and provide better access to education.

Parents and education activists have welcomed the move, stating that the relaxation will help ensure that no child is deprived of education due to rigid distance norms. Authorities have urged parents to complete or update their applications before the revised deadline to avoid last-minute issues.

With the extended timeline and relaxed rules, the RTE admission process is expected to see even higher participation in the coming days, offering wider opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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