Applicants will be given the option to unconfirm their applications and make necessary changes, and the portal will display a pop-up prompting them to reconfirm the application after revising their school preferences. (Source: File)The Maharashtra School Education Department has relaxed the distance restriction for school selection under admissions conducted through the Right to Education Act (RTE), allowing parents to apply to schools beyond a one km radius. The decision follows an observation by the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench that children cannot be denied admission to schools located beyond 1 km if no eligible institution is available nearby.Following the change, the deadline to submit applications for RTE admissions across Maharashtra has been extended to March 25, from the earlier deadline of March 18.The office of the Director of Primary Education issued a notification on Monday directing that the online admission system be updated to allow parents to select schools beyond the earlier distance restriction.The notice also said that parents who had already submitted their online applications up to March 16 will be allowed to modify them.Applicants will be given the option to unconfirm their applications and make necessary changes, and the portal will display a pop-up prompting them to reconfirm the application after revising their school preferences.Under the Right to Education Act, private unaided schools are required to reserve 25 per cent of seats for children from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds, with the state government reimbursing the schools for the fees.Earlier this year, the state had introduced a significant change to the admission process by limiting school selection to within 1 km of the student’s registered residential address, replacing the previous provision that allowed parents to choose schools within a three-km radius or beyond.Story continues below this adThe rule drew objections from parent organisations, who approached the Bombay High Court challenging the restriction. On March 9, the court stayed the 1 km limit, observing that the rule could unfairly restrict children’s access to schools where no eligible institution existed nearby.Following the court’s order, the state government has now revised the admission process and extended the application window to allow parents to update their choices.