Nagpur: Maharashtra govt on Tuesday withdrew the one-kilometre distance criterion for admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, telling the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court that parents can now apply for schools beyond the earlier geographical limit. The state also extended the deadline for online applications for the 2026–27 academic year to March 25.The decision came during the hearing of a PIL challenging a February 12, 2026, govt resolution that imposed the distance restriction under the RTE Act, 2009. The petition was filed by social activists Ashish Fulzhele, Aniket Kuttarmare and Vaibhav Kamble.A bench of Justices Anil Pansare and Nivedita Mehta was informed the Primary Education Director, Pune, has issued a fresh communication omitting the distance cap. Earlier, the court noted that prior communication was inconsistent with its directions and emphasized adherence to statutory provisions ensuring free and compulsory education.In its submission, the state clarified that the restriction of “one kilometre from residence” has been removed. The court, recording this development, disposed of the petition as the grievance stood addressed.The application deadline, earlier set for March 16, has been extended to March 25 to ensure wider participation, govt said. It noted that only partial compliance has been achieved so far, with several applications remaining incomplete. To address this, authorities have been directed to mark such applications as “unconfirmed,” enabling parents to review and resubmit them in line with the revised criteria.Officials indicated that a notification system will be introduced on the online portal to prompt applicants to complete the confirmation process. The Primary Education Director clarified that even those who have already applied would be allowed to participate under the revised norms. Parents who submitted applications by March 16 will be given an option to “unconfirm” and edit their forms before final confirmation. “The extension has been granted to ensure that registration is completed 100% and that parents can avail benefits under the scheme,” the state said.Senior counsel Jayna Kothari, along with advocates Payal Gaikwad and Dipankar Kamble, represented the petitioners.
