Summary: Five schools in Nashik have won a court case to get overdue education grants. The High Court of Bombay has ordered the State of Maharashtra to sort this out within a few weeks.
Five schools in the Nashik district, including Matoshri Shantabai Govindrao Sonawane English Medium School from Andarsul, have been waiting for their education grants. The schools, represented by their principals, filed a request to get the money they believe they deserve under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The request was made against the State of Maharashtra, specifically the Primary Education Department located in Mumbai, along with several other education offices in Pune and Nashik. The legal team for the schools included Mr. Shrinath Badade and Mr. Rayyan Shah, while the state was represented by Mr. P.P. Kakade and Ms. Priyanka Chavan.
On January 12, 2026, Judges Ravindra V. Ghuge and Abhay J. Mantri made a decision. They ordered the State of Maharashtra to check each school's situation within eight weeks. They need to figure out how much money each school should get and ensure the funds are given within two weeks after that.
"If any school is not supposed to get any money back, a detailed explanation should be given," stated Judge Ghuge.
The schools are now waiting for the State to act. If any school doesn't get the money, they can challenge the decision. This decision is similar to a case from May 2024, where another school in Maharashtra fought for the same rights.
