Mumbai: All schools run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will reopen on Monday, June 15, with special ‘Shala Praveshotsav’ programmes being organised across civic schools as part of a statewide initiative aimed at welcoming students and boosting enrolment in government and local body-run schools.
Governor’s Attendance
As part of the celebrations, Maharashtra Governor Shri Jishnu Dev Varma will visit the Praveshotsav programme at Mumbai Public School in the BMC School Complex at Ghodapdeo, Byculla (East), at 11 am. The event will also be attended by Deputy Mayor Shri Sanjay Ghadi, Education Committee Chairperson Smt. Rajeshri Shirwadkar, Municipal Commissioner Smt. Ashwini Bhide, Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Avinash Dhakne, local corporator Shri Ramakant Rahate and Deputy Commissioner (Education) Dr. Prachi Jambhekar.
The School Education Department has announced that ‘Shala Praveshotsav 2026’ will be celebrated across Maharashtra on June 15, except in the Vidarbha region where the academic calendar differs. The initiative is aimed at bringing every child into the mainstream of education, increasing enrolment in government and local self-government schools, and transforming the first day of school into a memorable and festive occasion.
Legal Framework
Officials said the programme is being organised under the spirit of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which places the responsibility of ensuring quality education for every child on the state. Beyond admissions, the initiative seeks to strengthen parents' confidence in public schools and foster a positive educational environment.
As part of the celebrations, newly admitted students will be welcomed with roses, while Class I students will participate in the ‘Pahile Paul’ (First Step) initiative, under which their footprints will be recorded and presented to parents as a keepsake. Free textbooks and uniforms will also be distributed to students on the first day of school.
Free Distribution
The state government has directed ministers, public representatives and senior administrative officials to visit schools and welcome students. Officials have also been asked to adopt at least one school for a year and monitor its academic performance, infrastructure and student progress.
According to the School Education Department, last year's Praveshotsav helped arrest the decline in enrolment in several districts, with some regions even recording an increase in admissions. Building on those results, authorities have decided to expand the programme this year.
Teachers have been instructed to coordinate with Anganwadi and Balwadi centres to identify eligible children and interact with parents regarding scholarships, facilities and innovative educational programmes available in government schools. Awareness campaigns regarding school reopening have also been planned through social media, public announcements and parents' WhatsApp groups.
Officials said a dedicated School Enrollment Festival Cell has been established to monitor the implementation of the initiative, with details of school visits and programme activities being recorded through an online system.
Education department officials described the initiative as an important step towards ensuring every child enters the educational mainstream and strengthening the goal of building an educationally prosperous Maharashtra.
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