RTE admissions in Pune district came under scrutiny after members of the Zilla Parishad demanded taluka-wise data and an inquiry into alleged irregularities during the general body meeting held on Thursday. Chief executive officer Gajanan Patil said that scrutiny of 10% of RTE admission cases was under way.
The dispute centred on the availability of information about admissions conducted under the Right to Education Act. Vijay Shinde, group leader of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction, alleged that the education department had not provided a list showing how many admissions had taken place in each taluka despite repeated requests.
Shinde said officials had claimed that the information was available on the RTE portal, but maintained that it could not be accessed in practice. Patil responded that the admission process was being conducted online at the state level.
The exchange also raised questions about the Zilla Parishad’s responsibility for monitoring the process. Vice-president Vivek Walse Patil said the Zilla Parishad and local schools did not receive a direct benefit from the admission process. Other members argued that the local body still had a responsibility because the issue concerned students’ education.
Under the RTE admission system, access to reliable district and taluka-level information is central to public oversight. The demand in the meeting was not limited to admission numbers; members also sought clarity on how complaints were being handled and which authority was responsible for action when irregularities were alleged.
Shinde further told the house that he possessed an audio recording relating to an allegation that education department officials had taken money from a parent. The allegation was not established in the meeting. Patil said that if the names of the officials concerned were available, a complaint should be filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Members also expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of the education department and demanded that the education committee chairperson be given sufficient powers to take decisions. Zilla Parishad president Veerdhaval Jagdale said the chairperson already had powers and that action would be taken in accordance with those powers.
The immediate administrative development is the ongoing examination of 10% of RTE admission cases. The meeting did not establish the scale or outcome of any alleged irregularities. Further clarity will depend on the findings of the scrutiny, the availability of taluka-wise admission data and any complaint submitted to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
