For many in Maharashtra, night schools offer the only chance to improve their future or fulfil long-lost educational dreams. However, these institutions are struggling to survive due to budget cuts and political apathy, relying heavily on non-profit organisations for support, a report said in this paper. Over a century ago, Maharashtra pioneered the concept of night schools, enabling working-class men and women to continue their education without sacrificing their livelihoods. Now, this legacy is under threat, the report explained.

Despite a slight increase in the number of night schools—210 across the state, with Mumbai hosting 150—funding shortages and staff cuts jeopardise their future. Night schools cater to diverse students—those returning after a break, those juggling work and studies, and even parents studying alongside their children. The authorities need to keep the night school tradition going, seeing how many lives it has enhanced. Night schools cannot be solely dependent on NGOs. The state needs to come up with a comprehensive plan about how to keep these educational hubs going without concerns about how they will survive for the next year.