MUMBAI, June 1 -- In a significant relief for students, parents and college administrators, the state school education department has rolled back a controversial rule regarding First Year Junior College (FYJC) admissions under the in-house quota. The rule, introduced as part of a centralised online admission process set to begin in the academic year 2025-26, required schools and junior colleges under the same management to be located within the same premises in order to be eligible for in-house quota benefits. Under this quota, 10 percent of seats in private management junior colleges are reserved for students coming from schools run by the same management. The rule sparked strong opposition from school managements, teachers associations and parents, who pointed out that such a condition was unrealistic, particularly in urban areas. Responding to the pushback, the education department has now redefined the eligibility criteria. As per the updated rule, institutions under the same management and located within the same district will be treated as a single unit for the purpose of the in-house quota. In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, this means that schools and colleges across Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs and Thane will be considered as one unit. For the rest of the state, the unit will be based on revenue districts. Education minister Dada Bhuse has approved the changes proposed by the education commissioner, ensuring that the new admission process does not disrupt the long-standing in-house quota system. The revised rules come after sustained appeals from several educational stakeholders, including Gajanan Ekbote, executive president of the Progressive Education Society, and the Federation of Junior College Teachers. A formal request for changes was submitted following a meeting with the principal secretary of the school education department on May 30. Mrinali Katenge, divisional officer of the education department, issued the updated instructions through an official circular. The state aims to bring greater consistency and transparency to FYJC admissions with the launch of the centralised online system next year, but has now chosen to accommodate structural realities faced by educational institutions. The original regulation, based on a government decision dated May 6, had raised widespread concern that it would severely affect college intakes in cities, where school and college branches are often housed in different buildings due to space limitations. With the revised guidelines now in place, admissions under the in-house quota are expected to proceed much like they have in previous years, providing continuity for institutions and clarity for applicants....