E-Paper
Prayagraj region’s MPs in a fix over flood of applications for admission to KVs
Though every year they receive applications in excess, the count of applications has taken a jump this year owing to the recent pandemic. Each MP has admission quota of just 10 seats per year
A flood of requests from parents for admission of their children to Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) has become a problem for Member of Parliaments in Prayagraj region. Each MP has admission quota of just 10 seats per year and can recommend admission in just the schools of their constituency while they have received application in hundreds from desperate parents not just in Prayagraj but also in Prataphgarh and Kaushambi districts.
Though every year they receive applications in excess, the count of applications has taken a jump this year owing to the recent pandemic. BJP MP from Phulpur Keshari Devi Patel is one such MP facing this problem. There are seven KVs in her parliamentary constituency. However, more than 2100 people have sent her applications for admission in these KVs under the MP’s quota. Similarly, there are two KVs in Allahabad MP Prof Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s constituency and she has more than 250 people who have appealed to her for recommending the name of their children for admission.
MP from Kaushambi parliamentary seat Vinod Sonkar too is facing a similar problem. As there is no KV in his parliamentary constituency, he can recommend the name in any KV which is in proximity to his parliamentary seat—Prayagraj.
“We are preparing the list of the wards of the people who have approached the MP for getting admission in KVs and although we know that there are just 10 students an MP can recommend for admission, we already have names of 90 kids with me and more applications are pouring in with each passing day. Their count will soon reach 125 or so. For obliging 10, we will have to say no to rest”, says Nitin Kumar, a close associate of Kaushambi MP Vinod Sonkar.
Likewise, MP from Phulpur, Keshari Devi Patel said, “Over 2100 applications have been received for admission in KVs. There are a large number of children whose mothers or fathers have died due to corona and as such we have requested the Union education minister to increase the admission quota limit. But still, I know that I won’t be able to help everyone.”
In the past, many MPs bluntly told Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan that either increase the quota or even abolish the existing quota of 10 seats. After discussing with the leaders of all the parties on this subject, it is said that a final decision will be taken by the government in the coming months to hike the seats under MP’s quota, claim education department officials.
As per the norm, on the recommendation of the MP, there can be direct admission in any class from class 1 to 9. However, while Lok Sabha MP can recommend the name for admission in KV under their parliamentary seat only, a Rajya Sabha MP can recommend the name for admission in any KV of the state from where they are the MP. Most of people want admission in KVs due to the quality education offered by them through their CBSE affiliated schools at nominal fees.
