Pune: The process of online applications of students for admissions under Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act has not yet begun. This is because of continuous extension of the registration deadline given to the schools. The admissions were earlier scheduled to begin from January 24. However, as the private schools in the State refused to register under RTE to provide 25% of their seats and boycotted the process, the deadline kept extending.

Till the last update, the final date for the schools to register under RTE was February 5, however, the Education Department has not yet declared the date to start students’ admissions.

Speaking about the same, RTE activist Mukund Kirdat stated that in order to provide students and parents with enough time, the government can start the application process in places where the schools’ registration has been completed. “In Pune, as well as some other regions, the registration of the schools has already been completed. It is possible for the government to start the application process in these regions. This year, the parents have to provide their income certificates at the time of application itself. Hence, it would be good for the parents and students if the process starts early so that they get ample time to verify the documents and deal with the technical problems if any,” Kirdat said.

He said that the Education Department and schools have not put up any notice boards thus there is a possibility of chaos and confusion among parents.