The Maharashtra government has appointed a senior-level committee to review delayed fee reimbursements under the Right to Education Act and establish time limits for the process, following criticism from the Bombay High Court. The committee, headed by the secretary of the School Education Department, has been given three months to submit its report.
The panel will examine reimbursement claims for students admitted to the 25% seats reserved for children from disadvantaged groups and economically weaker sections in private unaided schools. Under the RTE framework, the state reimburses participating schools for the educational fees of these students.
According to a government resolution issued by the School Education Department, the committee will review the complete administrative process, from the submission of proposals by schools to the eventual release of funds. It will also identify timelines for each stage and examine mechanisms to ensure that those deadlines are followed.
The committee was formed after private educational institutions and schools approached the High Court over unpaid reimbursements. During a hearing on a contempt petition on August 7, 2026, the court issued directions concerning the reimbursement process, prompting the government to constitute the panel with officials from the School Education and Finance departments.
The committee will include the education secretary, principal secretary or additional chief secretary heading the School Education Department; the education commissioner; the state project director of the Primary Education Council; a deputy secretary or joint secretary from the Finance Department; the director of primary education; and a deputy secretary or joint secretary from the School Education Department.
The panel’s terms of reference also include examining whether the per-student reimbursement amount is adequate. It will review pending reimbursement matters before the court and other related cases, and consider concrete decisions on those claims.
The review will cover schools providing RTE admissions, available seats, actual admissions and supporting documents. The committee has also been asked to examine district-wise information on the implementation of the scheme and assess its outcomes since the programme began.
Delayed reimbursements have persisted for several years because budgetary allocations have reportedly fallen short of the amounts demanded by schools. The government resolution does not, in the material available, specify the total amount pending, the number of affected schools or students, or the revised reimbursement amount.
The committee’s report is due within three months. Its findings are expected to address the administrative timeline, the adequacy of reimbursement and the district-wise operation of the RTE admission system.
