The RTE Maharashtra Lottery 2026 for the academic year 2026-27 is scheduled for April 6, 2026 (Monday) at 11:00 AM at the Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training (Vidya Pradhikaran), Pune. A total of 2,89,609 applications have been submitted for 1,14,826 seats across 8,701 schools — meaning approximately 2.5 applicants are competing for every available seat.
Under Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education Act, 2009, every private unaided non-minority school in Maharashtra must reserve 25% of entry-level seats for children from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Disadvantaged Groups (DG). The entire process — from application to seat allotment — is managed online through the official portal student.maharashtra.gov.in.
This guide covers everything about the Maharashtra RTE Lottery 2026 — how the lottery works, how to check your result, eligibility criteria, documents required, important dates, year-over-year comparison, and what to do after selection.
RTE Maharashtra Lottery 2026 — Key Details
Received
Available
Schools
Seat Ratio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme | RTE 25% Reservation — Free Admission in Private Schools |
| Academic Year | 2026-27 |
| Applicable Law | RTE Act 2009, Section 12(1)(c) |
| Entry-Level Classes | Nursery, Jr. KG (LKG), Sr. KG (UKG), Class 1 |
| Income Limit (EWS) | ₹1,00,000/year — Income certificate from Tehsildar |
| Age Cutoff Date | December 31, 2026 |
| Application Period | February 17 – March 31, 2026 (extended from March 10) |
| Selection Method | Computerized Random Lottery (distance-based priority) |
| Lottery Rounds | Regular List → Selection List 1 → Selection List 2 → Waiting List |
| Official Portal | student.maharashtra.gov.in |
| Live Broadcast | SCERT Maharashtra YouTube Channel |
Source: Maharashtra School Education & Sports Department via student.maharashtra.gov.in; rteinfomaharashtra.com; Free Press Journal (April 2, 2026)
2026-27 vs 2025-26 — Year-over-Year Comparison
The 2026-27 cycle shows an interesting trend — applications have decreased by approximately 15,500 while available seats have increased by nearly 5,700. This means the competition per seat is lower than last year, improving chances for applicants.
| Metric | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Applications | 3,05,152 | 2,89,609 | ↓ 15,543 |
| Total Seats | 1,09,087 | 1,14,826 | ↑ 5,739 |
| Participating Schools | 8,863 | 8,701 | ↓ 162 |
| Applications per Seat | 2.80 | 2.52 | ↓ Better odds |
| Selected (Lottery) | 1,01,967 | TBD (April 6) | — |
| Mumbai Applications | 13,166 | 10,397 | ↓ 2,769 |
Source: 2025-26 data from Adda247, Lokmat Times, Careerpower (official government data); 2026-27 data from rteinfomaharashtra.com, MarathiAlert, Free Press Journal
How the Maharashtra RTE Lottery Works — Step by Step
The Maharashtra RTE lottery is a computerized random selection process that uses geographic distance as the primary allocation criterion. It is conducted live at SCERT, Pune and broadcast on the SCERT YouTube channel for full transparency.
The system first allocates seats to applicants living within 1 km of the school. If seats remain after the 1 km allocation, applicants within the 1–3 km radius are considered. Google Maps coordinates verified during application are used for distance calculation.
Chits with digits are drawn from bowls. The number of bowls matches the highest number of applications for any school. For example, if the maximum is 599 applications, three bowls are used — one for each digit position. A parent draws a chit from each bowl to create the random selection sequence.
Applications are sorted by their form number in ascending order and assigned serial numbers (1, 2, 3…). The drawn random number sequence determines which serial numbers get selected. Where applications equal or are fewer than available seats, all applicants are directly admitted without lottery.
After random numbers are fed into the software and “GENERATE LOTTERY” is pressed, the system produces the complete selection list for all districts simultaneously. Results are uploaded to the portal and SMS notifications are sent to registered mobile numbers.
Seats not confirmed after Round 1 are released in subsequent rounds — Selection List 1, Selection List 2, and Waiting List. In 2025-26, only 50,423 of 1,01,967 selected students confirmed admission by the initial deadline, leaving nearly half the seats for later rounds.
How to Check RTE Maharashtra Lottery Result 2026
Visit student.maharashtra.gov.in
Click “Application Wise Details”
Enter your Application Number
View selection status — Selected / Waiting / Not Selected
Visit student.maharashtra.gov.in
Click “Selected / मूळ निवड यादी”
Select your District
Download the Selection List PDF and search for your child’s name
Eligibility Criteria — RTE Maharashtra 2026-27
Nursery: 3 – 4 years
Jr. KG (LKG): 4 – 5 years
Sr. KG (UKG): 5 – 6 years
Class 1: 6 – 7 years
EWS: Family income below ₹1,00,000/year
DG: SC, ST, OBC, NT, SBC categories
Divyang: 2–3 years age relaxation
Residency: Must be a resident of Maharashtra
Documents Required — For Application & After Selection
Child’s Birth Certificate
Child’s & Parent’s Aadhaar Card
Income Certificate (from Tehsildar, below ₹1 lakh)
Address Proof (Aadhaar, Ration Card, Utility Bill)
Caste Certificate (if SC/ST/OBC/NT)
Disability Certificate (if Divyang, min 40%)
Passport-sized photographs
Allotment Letter (download from portal)
Original + Xerox copies of all uploaded documents
Gas connection cancellation proof (used as residency proof in some cases)
Bank Passbook (nationalized bank — for verification)
Verification Committee issues confirmation receipt — keep this safely
Important Dates — RTE Maharashtra 2026-27
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Application Start | February 17, 2026 | ✅ Done |
| Original Deadline | March 10, 2026 | Extended |
| Extended Deadline 1 | March 18, 2026 | Extended |
| Final Deadline | March 31, 2026 | 🔴 Closed |
| Lottery Draw (Round 1) | April 6, 2026 — 11:00 AM | 🟡 Tomorrow |
| Admission Confirmation (Round 1) | April 2026 (within specified timeframe) | 🟡 Upcoming |
| Selection List 1 | May 2026 (expected) | 🟡 Upcoming |
| Selection List 2 | May–June 2026 (expected) | 🟡 Upcoming |
| Waiting List / Final Round | June 2026 (expected) | 🟡 Upcoming |
After Lottery Selection — What to Do Next
Login at student.maharashtra.gov.in with your application number and DOB. Download the provisional allotment letter.
Present original documents + photocopies to the designated Verification Committee within the specified timeframe. Obtain a confirmation receipt.
After verification, visit the allotted school with the confirmation receipt. The school will finalize admission. Failure to report within the deadline = seat cancelled.
Do not lose hope. After Round 1 admissions complete, seats that are not confirmed are released in Selection List 1 (May) and Selection List 2 (May-June). In 2025-26, nearly 50% of seats went to subsequent rounds because parents did not confirm. Keep checking the portal regularly.
Check your waiting list status using your application number in the “Application Wise Details” section. Waiting list candidates are offered seats when confirmed students fail to report. The government typically conducts up to 4 allocation rounds to fill all available seats.
School Selection Rules — 1 km Google Maps Integration
In 2026, the Maharashtra Education Department has strengthened the geographic restriction for school selection. Parents must understand these rules to maximize their child’s chances:
During application, you must accurately pin your residence on Google Maps. The system uses these coordinates to calculate distance to schools. Inaccurate pinning = wrong school options = wasted application.
You can select up to 10 schools from the options shown by the system. Schools within 1 km get first priority in the lottery. Schools between 1-3 km are considered only after all 1 km seats are filled.
Private schools within 1 km of a government or aided school are now exempt from 25% reservation. This means your school options may be fewer than previous years in areas with government school coverage.
RTE schools in Maharashtra include Maharashtra State Board (SSC), CBSE, and ICSE affiliated schools. The system shows all eligible schools regardless of board affiliation within your distance radius.