The Odisha government has announced the commencement of admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for economically disadvantaged children in private schools, starting from March 17, 2026. In the first phase, 27,370 students have been selected through a transparent online lottery process.
Under Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education Act, 2009, economically weaker section (EWS) children are provided free education at the entry level in private unaided schools. Applications for this facility are accepted through the transparent RTE portal at https://rteparadarshi.odisha.gov.in/odisha.
For the current academic year (2026-27), online applications for the first phase were invited from February 10 to March 10, 2026. A total of 44,777 applications were received for 54,355 available seats across 4,438 private schools. After verification of original documents by Block Education Officers (BEOs), 35,800 applications were deemed eligible.
These eligible applications underwent a centralised online lottery conducted by the Directorate of Elementary Education (DEE), Odisha. As a result, 27,370 students have been selected and allotted schools through this fair, lottery-based process.
Block Education Officers are now sharing the list of selected students with the respective private schools. Admissions for these selected students will take place from March 17 to March 31, 2026. The entire admission process is completely free of cost, and private schools are strictly prohibited from collecting any fees from parents or guardians. Any violation will invite legal action as per the RTE Act provisions.
A dedicated helpline number — 1800 345 6722 — has been activated to assist parents and address any queries or complaints regarding the process.
Parents of selected children are advised to complete the admission formalities within the stipulated period at their allotted schools.
