Nagpur: The new academic session for schools across Vidarbha officially began on Monday, June 23, but many classrooms wore a deserted look. The absence wasn’t due to missing students or teachers, but a statewide protest called by the Maharashtra Rajya Shikshan Sanstha Mahamandal against the government.
The Mahamandal, which represents private aided schools, has accused the State Government of failing to release grant-in-aid on time. They also allege that no concrete decision has been made regarding the hundreds of crores pending under the Right to Education (RTE) reimbursement scheme.
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17 June 2025
In protest, the Mahamandal announced a one-day school shutdown, which saw widespread participation across districts like Nagpur, Akola, Washim, Buldhana, Gadchiroli, and Chandrapur.
“The grant-in-aid issue has been dragging on for years. The government keeps making promises, but there’s no action. If schools don’t receive grants, how are we expected to run them?” questioned Ravindra Fadnavis, General Secretary of the Mahamandal.
While the exact number of schools that remained shut is unclear, Fadnavis claimed that the majority of institutions responded positively to the Federation’s call.
The protest has also received support from the Maharashtra State Teachers’ Association, which stated that the agitation is not just about school managements but the overall future of the education sector.
Ironically, even as several schools remained closed, Education Minister Dada Bhuse was seen welcoming students to the new academic year at a Zilla Parishad primary school in Seenagaon Jahangir village, Buldhana district. The event was marked by enthusiasm and celebrations.
However, for thousands of students in other parts of Vidarbha, the first day of school was wasted as they returned to locked gates and empty premises.
The Mahamandal has warned that if the government fails to take swift action on the pending grant issues, a state-wide agitation will be launched next month.
The coming days will reveal whether the government intervenes to resolve the deadlock or allows the unrest in the education sector to escalate further.
