Over 12,000 students apply for 6,000 RTE seats in Mumbai this year

MUMBAI: School admissions for the academic year 2021-22 under Right To Education (RTE) Act began from Friday across the state. In Mumbai, applications were double the 6,000 plus seats available. Till Saturday, 69 students had got provisional admissions in schools in Mumbai under the RTE. Both private and aided schools have to reserve 25 per cent seats for students (between age 6 and 14) based on economic status or caste-based reservations.The fees are reimbursed by the state.
A total of 12,911 online applications were received for the academic year 2021-22. The lottery for the seats was announced on April 7. A total of 352 schools in Mumbai are participating in the RTE admission process for the new academic year. Most of the admissions are for class 1. Education under RTE is free till class 8. Admissions in pre-primary through RTE was scrapped by the state in 2015.
Between June 11 and June 30, parents of students who have made it to the selection list have to go to the schools where they have been allotted seats, the BMC’s school education department said in a statement. The total number of seats in Mumbai are 6,463. A total of 4,985 students have made it to the selection list. After admissions for these students are over on June 30, the remaining seats will be available for those on the waiting list.
Parents have been told to approach the schools on the date allotted to them. Parents have been told to follow all COVID19 protocols. Students cannot be taken along for the admissions. Those who are unable to physically make it to schools for admissions due to unavoidable circumstances, can send documents through email or Whatsapp to the school and obtain provisional admissions.