RTE Admissions See Overwhelming Response Across Madhya Pradesh

The Right to Education (RTE) Act aims to provide equal learning opportunities for underprivileged children. This year's admission process has seen a surge in applications, exceeding available seats.

The admission process under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for the 2025–26 academic session has witnessed an overwhelming response across Madhya Pradesh, with applications surpassing available seats by 110%. Over 1.34 lakh applications have been received so far, exceeding the total number of seats reserved for economically weaker and disadvantaged students in private and unaided schools.

High Demand for RTE Seats

The Indore district recorded the highest number of reserved seats, followed closely by Bhopal. According to the education department's data, 93,822 seats were reserved under RTE across the state. In Indore alone, 6,825 seats were allocated across 1,621 private unaided schools, but the city received 7,532 applications, pushing the application percentage to 110%.

Bhopal has seen the highest application pressure, with 9,665 applications for 6,124 seats, resulting in an application rate of 155%. In contrast, Gwalior recorded a lower response with 3,317 applications against 3,995 seats. Other districts such as Ujjain and Dhar have also reported high demand, with applications exceeding available seats.

Verification and Next Steps

Of the total applications submitted, 32,964 have already been verified by the education department. The state RTE controller, Rakesh Pandey, stated that the process has been smooth so far, with no complaints from parents regarding the application process.

To accommodate the high demand, the department has planned to conduct a second round of RTE admissions in case seats remain vacant in schools. Private schools affiliated with the Madhya Pradesh Board have reportedly received fewer applications compared to CBSE and other high-profile institutions.

Online Application Process

Under RTE norms, schools must reserve at least 25% of seats in nursery or Class 1 for eligible children. Applications are being accepted only through an online portal, where parents can choose between three and ten schools. If fewer schools are available nearby, fewer options may be selected.

Despite the high number of applications, many seats remain vacant every year due to various factors, including lack of awareness and difficulty in completing the verification process. Authorities are working to streamline the process and ensure that all eligible students receive admission under the RTE Act.