Pune’s Right to Education (RTE) admissions process came under scrutiny at a Zilla Parishad general meeting after a member alleged that three education department officials had taken Rs 1 lakh from a parent and demanded that the inspection of admissions be increased from 10% to 25%.
Vijay Shinde, group leader of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction, told the meeting that he possessed an audio recording related to the alleged payment. He demanded an inquiry into the matter and action against those involved. The allegation has not been independently established in the report.
The meeting was chaired by Zilla Parishad president Veerdhaval Jagdale. Members also questioned the availability of taluka-wise information on RTE admissions. Shinde said the information had been requested but was not available, and called for admission figures from each taluka to be made accessible to improve transparency in the process.
Chief executive officer Gajanan Patil said the RTE admission process is conducted online at the state level. He explained that the district-level role primarily involves handling appeals. Patil said information available on the RTE portal should be obtained from there, while information not available online should be formally requested.
The meeting also discussed whether the Zilla Parishad should assume responsibility for monitoring the RTE admission process. Shinde suggested that a resolution be passed on the issue, arguing that the Zilla Parishad and local schools did not receive the expected benefit from the existing arrangement. Other members said the process should be viewed separately because it concerns students’ education.
On the allegation involving the three officials, Patil urged that a complaint be filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He also confirmed that inspection of 10% of RTE admission cases was currently under way. Shinde sought an increase in the inspection rate to 25%, arguing that broader scrutiny was necessary in light of the complaints and alleged irregularities raised before the meeting.
The discussion placed three administrative issues at the centre of the district’s RTE process: access to taluka-wise admission data, investigation of complaints and the division of responsibility between the state portal, district administration and local institutions. The report does not state whether the alleged audio recording has been submitted to investigators or whether a formal Anti-Corruption Bureau complaint has been registered.
Members also sought greater decision-making authority for the education committee chairperson in matters concerning the education department. Jagdale said the education chairperson already had powers and that necessary action would be taken under those powers. Further inquiry and any official action on the alleged financial misconduct remain the next steps identified in the discussion.
