The Delhi High Court gave a “last and final” opportunity to private schools in the Capital to evolve a mechanism for admitting toddlers to nursery classes without interviewing them and their parents.

The Bench said if the schools fail to come up with an alternative admission procedure by the date of the next hearing on December 19, it could ban admission interviews for toddlers from January.

Aggrieved parents had filed a petition challenging a single-bench judgement, which had rejected a plea for banning interviews of toddlers and parents. Meanwhile, school principals, who discussed alternative ways to admit nursery students, said that the lottery system should not be encouraged.

Jyoti Bose, principal, Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan, said, “Four year olds should not be subjected to interviews.” Dr Shyama Chona, Principal, of DPS, RK Puram also said that a draw of lots is unfair for toddlers, “Admissions should not become a matter of chance for children."