Mumbai: The maximum metropolis lags in tech-savvy, it appears. Mumbai had the lowest number of applications for Right to Education (RTE) admissions through the mobile app, as compared to other cities and districts of the state. This year, only 20 parents applied for admission through the mobile app launched by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Over 246 registered from Pune, 82 from Aurangabad, 65 from Thane, 67 from Kolhapur and 45 from Nashik. “Parents in far-off districts and other cities used the mobile app for application. But in Mumbai, we received the lowest number of registrations despite making the online process user-friendly,” said an official from the civic education department.
Parents claim they do not know how to use the mobile app as they are not educated and come from economically weak sections. Leela Shahane, a parent, said, “We do not know how to use the mobile app. We are not equipped with new technology, so we registered online for admission with help from various voluntary organisations.”
However, officials claim parents are covertly seeking help from other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to secure seats. A senior civic official managing RTE admissions, said, “It is not true that parents do not know how to use a mobile app. Instead, parents are doing ‘jhol’ as they are secretly approaching NGOs and trying to secure seats under RTE.”
Parents should realise the entire process is streamlined and there is no point in applying for admission through roundabout ways, warned authorities of the education department. Mahesh Palkar, BMC education official, said, “In the past, we have witnessed cases where parents try to forge financial documents and provide fake proof of family income. Parents should realise RTE is implemented to benefit those students who are in need of financial help so they should follow the centralised process.”
