Students Living Beyond 3Km Radius To Also Get RTE Admissions: State The Maharashtra government has informed the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court that students who were unable to secure admission under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, in private unaided schools within a 3-kilometre radius will now be accommodated in schools located beyond that distance. This clarification was submitted to the court during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ashish Fulzele and others, who challenged the implementation of the RTE Act’s admission rules. The communication, issued by the Director of Education (Primary) in Maharashtra, stated that nearly 95% to 97% of eligible students would secure admission in private unaided schools if the 3-kilometre criterion was strictly applied. However, the court noted that this approach conflicts with its earlier order dated March 12, which had directed authorities to remove the distance restriction. The division bench, comprising Justices Anil Pansare and Nivedita Mehta, emphasized that the RTE Act’s provisions, particularly Section 12(1)(c), require ensuring that at least one private unaided school is accessible within a reasonable distance for every child. The court directed the state government to adhere to its previous ruling and ensure that the distance criterion does not hinder the Act’s purpose. During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel, Dipankar Kamble, apologized for not presenting certain documents earlier, which led to the court imposing a cost of Rs25,000. The court accepted the apology after the amount was deposited. The petitioners also informed the bench that the admission portal had not yet opened, prompting the court to urge authorities to take immediate corrective measures.#maharashtra_government #bombay_high_court #nagpur_bench #ashish_fulzele #dipankar_kamble
