Uttar Pradesh: In a significant step aimed at widening access to education, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has announced a change in the RTE (Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education) admission process for the academic year 2026-27 — dispensing with the previously mandatory requirement for children to have an Aadhaar card. This update, officially shared on January 10, 2026, is expected to make it easier for economically disadvantaged families to secure school admissions for their children under the RTE quota without bureaucratic barriers.

Under the earlier system, parents or guardians had to produce a child’s Aadhaar card as part of the verification and documentation process for RTE-mandated admission seats  a requirement that critics said inadvertently excluded students from under-resourced communities who lacked timely access to Aadhaar services. With the new rule, admissions authorities will rely on alternative identity proofs and social documentation to validate eligibility, while the 25 % reservation quota for underprivileged children remains firmly in place across all government, aided, and recognized private schools.

Officials clarified that although Aadhaar is no longer compulsory for securing RTE seats, financial assistance and scholarship disbursements that require an Aadhaar-seeded bank account will continue to use Aadhaar for backend verification. This means parents still benefit from easier admission pathways without losing eligibility for linked support schemes such as fee reimbursement, uniforms and textbooks, and midday meals.

The state’s education department has also refined age eligibility guidelines and streamlined the lottery-based allocation system used to distribute RTE seats, reinforcing transparency and fairness in the admission process. With the change, officials aim to encourage higher enrollment among marginalized children, especially in rural areas where documentation gaps have historically hindered access.

Education advocates have welcomed the move as an inclusive reform, noting that Aadhaar accessibility issues, whether due to enrollment backlogs or technical barriers should not stand between a child and their right to education. Several civil society groups and parent organisations have expressed optimism that this policy could significantly reduce dropouts and help fulfil the central goals of the RTE Act.

As Uttar Pradesh prepares for the 2026–27 academic session, schools and district education offices have been instructed to update their admission portals and systems to reflect the Aadhaar-optional model before the commencement of the RTE application window. Education officials have also urged parents to complete their documentation and verification processes early to avoid last-minute delays.

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