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No Changes in Nursery Admission Process


NEW DELHI:
There will be no changes in the nursery admission process beginning January 1, 2016 as the amendments to Delhi School Education Act 1973 passed in Delhi assembly are yet to be approved by the Centre. The directorate of education issued nursery guidelines for the 75% general category (or open seats) on Tuesday evening. Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia had said, "(There are) basically two new changes to ensure transparency in nursery admission - list of applicants and list of admitted/waitlisted candidates along with marks." However, the chairperson of National Progressive Schools Conference (NPSC) and principal of Ahlcon International School, Ashok Pandey, said, "Schools were already making such lists and putting them and the scores online."

 

The NPSC has no objections to the guidelines or the schedule. Schools will decide on a set of parameters and allot points totalling to 100. Candidates have to add the points allocated to every criterion they fulfil and those with the highest tallies stand the best chance. Lots are drawn if there are more candidates than seats with high scores. "We will follow the high court order like last year," said S K Bhattacharya of Action Committee for Unaided Recognised Private Schools. The fight against the amendments which may impact admissions in 2017-18 will be on.

 

Last year, Action Committee and NPSC had formulated a list of "recommended" criteria and proposed a common schedule in a bid to self-regulate. "The whole idea is that guidelines must be transparent and non-discriminatory. School are free to devise their own criteria within this larger framework," observed Pandey. The guidelines require schools to "publicise their admission criteria on their website well before the start of admission process for public view." They have to inform the DoE too.

 

The broad guidelines are that schools can charge only Rs 25 for a form and not press parents to buy the prospectus. Pre-schools or Montessori schools being run as branches of senior ones will have to follow a single admission process and both will be considered as one institution. The minimum age is three years as of March 31 and the issue of uniform upper age limit is being deliberated on by the government. The number of entry-level seats cannot be less than what they've been the previous three years. The admission process for the 25% economically weaker section or disadvantaged group categories will be announced separately. "A separate process for reserved category is illegal and discriminatory. The HRD ministry has also issued directions to state governments to prevent this," said lawyer-activist Khagesh Jha. "The changes have to be approved by the Centre but the process has to begin," explained education director, Padmini Singla. Sisodia had said earlier that changes to the system may not be implemented from this year.

 

Dates to Remember

  • Process starts 1st January, 2016
  • Last Date of Application 22nd January, 2016
  • List of Applicants 30th January, 2016
  • List with Scores 5th February, 2016
  • First list of Selected Candidates (and waiting list) 15th February, 2016
  • Second list 29th February, 2016
  • Admission Closes 31st March, 2016

Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia had said, '(There are) basically two new changes to ensure transparency in nursery admission-list of applicants and list of admitted/waitlisted candidates along with marks'. however, the centre is yet to approve them.

Posted on 09 Dec 2015