The Maharashtra English School Trustees Association (MESTA) has announced that private English-medium schools in the state will begin charging fees from students admitted under the Right to Education (RTE) Act from this year due to prolonged delays in government reimbursements.

Under the RTE Act, private unaided schools are mandated to reserve a minimum of 25% of their entry-level seats for children from economically weaker and disadvantaged sections. However, MESTA President Sanjayrao Tayade Patil stated that continued non-payment of these reimbursements has made it increasingly difficult for schools to sustain this obligation.

According to Patil, the state government has consistently failed to fully reimburse the fees owed to schools. He revealed that only 10% of the total reimbursement amount is sanctioned annually, and it has been several years since schools have received the complete dues. This financial strain has left many institutions struggling to function effectively.

The matter was recently addressed in the Maharashtra Legislative Council by School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse, who acknowledged the issue. He stated that while the state government is required to reimburse Rs 2.9 crore towards RTE admissions, an outstanding amount of Rs 1.7 crore remains unpaid. These figures account for the period from the academic year 2012-13 to 2023-24.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Patil cited that many schools accommodate approximately 400 students under the RTE quota, forcing the institution to bear the financial burden for these students' education. Given the financial distress, he announced that from the upcoming academic year, schools would have no choice but to charge parents directly. "We have no option but to request parents to pay the fees, which we will reimburse once the government clears the outstanding amount," he stated.

MESTA has urged the state government to prioritise the clearance of pending dues and ensure timely payments in the future. The association emphasised the importance of upholding the provisions of the RTE Act to safeguard the education of underprivileged children in Maharashtra.

The RTE admission for the year 2025-26 is underway, with the admission of regular list candidates completed last week. The first and second waitlists will be released subsequently, with admissions typically concluding by the month of May.