This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for staff of Private Schools and Educational Institutions in Maharashtra, as fixed by the state government. Use it to check the rate payable by skill category before you set salaries, prepare an offer, or verify your own pay in Maharashtra.
Minimum wage rates for Private Schools and Educational Institutions in Maharashtra
| Category | Basic | Special allow. | Total (Zone I) | Total (Zone II) | Total (Zone III) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Un-skilled | ₹10,021 | ₹3,900 | ₹13,921 | ₹13,325 | ₹12,728 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹10,856 | ₹3,900 | ₹14,756 | ₹14,160 | ₹13,564 |
| Skilled | ₹11,632 | ₹3,900 | ₹15,532 | ₹14,936 | ₹14,340 |
Rates effective 1 January to 30 June 2026.
What counts as Private Schools and Educational Institutions
The scheduled employment "Private Schools and Educational Institutions" covers privately managed, unaided or self-financed educational establishments and the teaching and non-teaching staff they engage, spanning pre-primary through higher and vocational education. It applies to persons employed directly or through a contractor to run classes, administration and campus services in institutions that are not maintained by the government.
- Private nursery, pre-primary and play schools
- Unaided primary, secondary and higher secondary schools
- Private colleges, junior colleges and professional institutes
- Coaching centres, tuition classes and test-preparation institutes
- Vocational, computer and skill-training centres
- Private hostels and boarding facilities attached to institutions
Typical roles and skill categories
- Pre-primary and primary school teachers
- Subject teachers and lecturers
- Principals, headmasters and academic coordinators
- Librarians and laboratory assistants
- Office clerks, accountants and admission staff
- Computer and physical training instructors
- Peons, attendants, ayahs and housekeeping staff
- Security guards and gardeners
- School bus drivers and conductors
In this employment the unskilled category usually covers peons, attendants, gardeners and housekeeping staff, while semi-skilled maps to roles such as clerks, laboratory assistants and transport attendants. Skilled typically covers trained teachers, librarians, accountants and instructors, and highly skilled applies to senior teaching and leadership roles such as lecturers, principals and academic coordinators.
Who fixes this wage
Private Schools and Educational Institutions is a notified scheduled employment under the Minimum Wages framework, so the Maharashtra government fixes and periodically revises the minimum wages payable to its teaching and non-teaching staff. The rates are set by skill category, from unskilled to highly skilled, and are frequently split further by zone or area class within Maharashtra.
How Maharashtra sets minimum wages
Maharashtra sets minimum wages under its Shops and Commercial Establishments schedule by building each rate from a basic component and a special allowance, then totalling the two across three zones. Rates are given for three categories, and the totals shown apply from 1 January to 30 June 2026, with a revised special allowance taking effect from 1 July 2026. This basic-plus-allowance method is how the state keeps wages current rather than a single consolidated figure.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Private Schools and Educational Institutions in Maharashtra?
In Maharashtra, the minimum wage for Private Schools and Educational Institutions currently runs from about ₹3900 to ₹15532 per month, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 January to 30 June 2026. The exact figure by category is in the table below. Confirm the exact rate for your worker's skill category and zone in the table above, and against the latest official notification.
Do private schools have to pay the minimum wage to teachers engaged on contract or on an ad-hoc basis?
Yes. The notified minimum wage for Private Schools and Educational Institutions in Maharashtra applies to teaching and non-teaching staff whether they are on the regular rolls, on contract, or supplied through an agency, and the rate for their skill category is the floor below which they cannot be paid.
Are coaching centres and tuition classes covered by this scheduled employment?
In most states coaching centres, tuition classes and private training institutes fall within the scope of Private Schools and Educational Institutions, so check the wording of the Maharashtra notification, since the establishments it names decide whether a particular centre is bound by these rates.
How should support staff such as ayahs, bus drivers and security guards be classified for minimum wage?
Each should be placed in the skill category that matches the nature of the work, for example attendants and helpers as unskilled and trained drivers or instructors at a higher category, and paid the corresponding Maharashtra rate rather than a single flat wage applied to all support staff.
Never underpay in Maharashtra
ZeniaHR maps every worker to the correct minimum-wage notification by state, skill and zone, and flags anyone paid below it.
Book a demo