Raipur: A major change has been introduced in the process of admitting children from underprivileged backgrounds to private schools under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. For the 2027-28 academic session, the entire process—from application to admission—will be completed approximately six months earlier than usual. According to the new schedule, online applications will be accepted in December 2026, and admissions will be finalized by February 10, 2027.
6,562 RTE seats remain vacant across the state
In the previous session, the admission process continued until August. This change comes at a time when 6,562 RTE seats across the state remain vacant even after three rounds of the lottery for the 2026-27 session. District-wise data reveals that out of the 23,097 seats designated for RTE, admissions were secured for only 16,535 children. This year, 41,813 applications were received for 6,851 schools; despite this, not all seats could be filled.
Raipur records the highest number of vacant seats (570)
In the capital, Raipur, admissions were completed for 2,631 out of 3,201 RTE seats. There are still 570 vacant seats here—the highest number among all districts in the state. Although the district received 7,742 applications, 2,539 applicants were not allotted seats. In Bilaspur, admissions took place for 1,704 out of 2,215 seats, leaving 511 vacant. In Durg, 1,167 admissions were made against 1,581 seats, leaving 414 seats vacant.
Large number of vacant seats in remote districts too
In Dantewada, only 36 children were admitted against 411 seats, leaving 375 seats vacant. In Bijapur, there were 23 admissions out of 320 seats, with 297 seats remaining vacant. In Sukma, only 21 out of 312 children secured admission, leaving 291 seats vacant. Similarly, in Sarguja, 299 out of 638 seats remained unfilled.
Admission in a single phase from the next session
For the 2026-27 session, applications were accepted from February 16 to March 31, 2026. Subsequently, the lottery was held in April, and the admission process—conducted in multiple phases—continued until August 17. Now, for the 2027-28 session, applications will be accepted from December 1 to December 31, 2026. The computerised lottery is scheduled for January 11-12, 2027. Following this, admissions will be conducted in a single phase, with a target to complete the process by February 10. This will enable children admitted under the RTE (Right to Education) Act to begin their classes on time, coinciding with the start of the academic session.
RTE Status at a Glance
Total Schools: 6,851
Total Seats: 23,097
Total Applications: 41,813
Total Admissions: 16,535
Vacant Seats after three lotteries: 6,562
Applications with no seat allocation: 11,754
Highest number of vacant seats: Raipur (570)
Followed by: Bilaspur (511), Durg (414)
Applications for 2027-28 session: December 1 to 31, 2026
Lottery: January 11-12, 2027
Deadline for completing admissions: February 10, 2027
