The Odisha government has announced the start of admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for economically disadvantaged children in private schools on March 17, 2026. In the first phase, 27,370 students were chosen through a transparent online lottery system.
Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education Act of 2009 provides economically disadvantaged students (EWS) with free entry-level education in private unaided schools. Applications for this facility are accepted through the RTE's open site, https://rteparadarshi.odisha.gov.in/odisha.
For the current academic year (2026-27), online applications for the first phase were accepted between February 10 and March 10, 2026. A total of 44,777 applications were submitted for 54,355 available seats in 4,438 private schools.

The Directorate of Elementary Education (DEE) of Odisha held a centralised online lottery for these qualifying applications. This fair, lottery-based method resulted in the selection and allocation of 27,370 students to schools.
Block Education Officers are currently distributing a list of selected pupils to the relevant private schools. Admissions for these selected pupils will take place between March 17 and March 31, 2026. The entire admissions procedure is free of charge, and private schools are expressly barred from charging any fees to parents or guardians. Any breach will result in legal action under the RTE Act restrictions.
A dedicated helpline number, 1800 345 6722, has been set to assist parents and resolve any questions or concerns about the procedure.Parents of selected children are advised to fulfill admission processes at their designated schools within the time frame specified.