Thane: The Education Department is facing criticism for allegedly failing to implement a recent Bombay High Court directive regarding admissions under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act. Activists from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) have warned that they will launch a strong agitation if the issue is not resolved within the next 12 hours.

The controversy follows a significant order passed on March 9, 2026, by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. In its ruling, the court stayed the Maharashtra government’s earlier restriction that limited school selection under RTE admissions to a one-kilometre radius from a student’s residence. Instead, the court permitted parents to choose schools located within a three-kilometre radius and directed the authorities to make the necessary changes by March 18.

However, activists claim that the official RTE admission portal has still not been updated to reflect the new rule. Even as of March 13, parents in the Thane region reportedly continue to see the earlier one-kilometre condition on the portal, which is preventing them from selecting schools within the newly permitted three-kilometre range.

According to local leaders, this delay is affecting thousands of students from economically weaker sections who rely on RTE provisions for access to quality education. Raising the issue with the authorities, youth leaders Rajesh Kadam and Siddhant Vhatkar met Education Officer Sheshrao Bade and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate action. The delegation worked under the guidance of district president Manoj Pradhan.

“Rajesh Kadam demanded that all private unaided schools within the Thane Municipal Corporation limits be instructed in writing to follow the revised rule. Although the government has extended the admission deadline to March 18, valuable days have already been lost due to the delay. Therefore demanded that the admission process be extended to March 25 and that parents be given an option to edit their school choices according to the new three-kilometre rule.”

Party leaders warned that if immediate corrective steps are not taken, a large-scale protest will be launched in the interest of students and parents.