In an important decision, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has stayed the State Government’s rule that restricted the selection of schools within one kilometre of a student’s residence for admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The decision has brought major relief to thousands of students and parents across Maharashtra. The State Government had issued a Government Resolution on February 12, 2026, introducing a new condition for RTE admissions. According to the rule, parents were allowed to select only those schools located within a one-kilometre radius of their residence. It also made it compulsory for applicants to select 10 schools while applying under the RTE admission process.

 

This condition was challenged before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court through petitions filed by affected parents and social activists. Advocates Bodhi Ramteke and Deepak Chatap argued that the one-kilometre restriction was unfair and against the spirit of the RTE Act. After hearing their arguments, the court directed the State Government to file its response and granted a stay on the implementation of the rule. One of the petitions highlighted the case of Shankar Atram, a resident of a remote area in Chandrapur district.

 

Since there was no eligible school within one kilometre of his house, he was unable to apply for his child under the RTE admission process. The advocates told the court that the one-kilometre condition defeats the purpose of the RTE Act and violates the fundamental right to education guaranteed under the Constitution. A similar petition on the same issue was also filed by social activists Ashish Fulzele and Aniket Kuttarmare through Advocates Jayana Kothari and Dipankar Kamble. After hearing both petitions, the High Court took serious note of the issue and stayed the Government rule that imposed the one-kilometre restriction.