BMC Orders Closure of 164 Unrecognized Schools in Mumbai Ahead of Admissions
In a significant pre-admission season action, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's education department has published a public notice targeting 164 schools allegedly operating within the city limits without mandatory recognition from either the state government or the civic body. The notice, issued on Friday, directs the managements of these institutions to initiate closure procedures in coordination with parents, marking a major crackdown on unauthorized educational facilities.
Legal Basis and Parental Warning
The notice has been issued under Clause 18 of the Right to Education Act, 2009, which explicitly states that no school can function without proper recognition. Authorities have cautioned parents against admitting children to these unauthorized institutions as the new academic year is scheduled to begin in June. This timely warning aims to prevent families from enrolling students in schools that lack legal standing and may face imminent shutdown.
Geographic Spread and Student Impact
The listed schools are spread across multiple areas of Mumbai, including Dharavi, Kurla, Govandi, Kandivli, Jogeshwari, Vikhroli, and Bhandup. These institutions encompass both primary and secondary sections across various mediums of instruction:
- English medium schools
- Hindi medium schools
- Marathi medium schools
- Urdu medium schools
The BMC's action is expected to affect thousands of students currently studying in these unrecognized institutions, raising concerns about educational continuity and student welfare.
BMC's Preparedness for Student Influx
When questioned about whether BMC schools possess adequate infrastructure and teaching staff to absorb the potential influx of students from the affected schools, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Education) Prachi Jambhekar assured that the civic body is fully prepared. "It is the BMC policy that no child can be turned back, and any child who comes is to be given admission. We will opt for double shifts, more divisions, extra hours, but we will accommodate," she stated emphatically.
Jambhekar further explained that the notice serves a dual purpose: to initiate closure procedures for unauthorized schools and to alert parents at the start of the admission season so they avoid enrolling children in such institutions.
Broader Context and Activist Responses
This development follows a September 2025 report that revealed 674 similar schools were operating across Maharashtra without proper certification or recognition, highlighting the scale of the issue beyond Mumbai's boundaries.
Meanwhile, the Watchdog Foundation has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and MCGM authorities requesting an amnesty window for the affected institutions. Foundation trustee Godfrey Pimenta expressed concern about the potential consequences: "The loss to livelihoods and the education of students will be too devastating. At least some window should be provided for the schools to make the changes, improvements and get the necessary permissions. It will be nearly impossible for students in senior classes to secure admissions because of differing mediums, curricula, and simply a lack of seats."
RTI activist Nitin Dalvi provided insight into why many such schools fail to obtain recognition: "Such schools don't have certification because they don't have adequate infrastructure, like a ground or suitable classrooms. Parents mostly send their children to these schools only up to the eighth or ninth standard, after which they are transferred to a proper school for their board exams."
The BMC's decisive action represents a significant step toward enforcing educational standards in Mumbai, though it raises important questions about transitional support for affected students and the broader ecosystem of unauthorized educational institutions operating across Maharashtra.
