Noida school urges parents to vote for child’s ‘A’ grade

Manish Verma, district magistrate and district election officer, said all efforts by schools to encourage voter turnout are welcome

A private school in Noida sent a circular to all its students on Wednesday saying they would receive an “A” grade under the category of socially responsible/work education in their report cards if their parents vote in the Lok Sabha elections, people familiar with the matter said.

Gautam Buddh Nagar, with more than 2.6 million registered voters in the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida, goes to polls on April 26 in Phase 2 of the Lok Sabha elections. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Gautam Buddh Nagar, with more than 2.6 million registered voters in the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida, goes to polls on April 26 in Phase 2 of the Lok Sabha elections.

“You will be awarded with a Certificate of Appreciation for being Socially Responsible Citizen and your ward will be felicitated on your behalf in the Assembly and your ward will get an ‘A’ Grade under the category ‘Socially Responsible/ Work Education’ in their Report Cards. As children learn by emulating their elders, they would understand the importance of voting and become future Socially Responsible Citizens of our Country,” said the circular, which was circulated among students of nursery to Class 12 at Kothari International School in Sector 50.

According to Sangeeta Arora, principal of the school, the initiative has been taken to increase voter turnout.

“Aside from engaging students in voter awareness campaigns and making their parents sign a pledge to vote, this initiative was undertaken after we had a meeting with the district election officers on Tuesday, who urged schools to come up with ideas to increase voter participation. I thought of this idea of giving grades to students so that they also understand the importance of making their parents vote,” said the principal, adding that the school has also asked parents to share selfies after voting with class teachers.

She added that the incentive stands for all parents, even if they cast their vote in other states or districts of the country.

Some parents called the move “a nice gesture”. Manpreet Kaur, whose child studies in Kothari International School, said, “We absolutely support this gesture and the school’s endeavour to make parents exercise their democratic right.”

In a similar initiative, Grads International School in Greater Noida will give “Responsible Citizen Certificates” to parents who cast votes. “After voting please upload your photos on the class WhatsApp group. You will be awarded the Responsible Citizen Certificates from the school. Please vote and make your child proud by receiving a certificate from their school principal,” said the circular that was circulated among students on Wednesday.

School principal Aditi Basu Roy said, “During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, too, we had taken this initiative of giving certificates to parents in to incentivise the voting process. Our constituency Gautam Buddha Nagar has always been low in voter turnout, and this way, we try to increase voter turnout.”

The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 60.47% in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, 60.38% in 2014, and 48% in 2009, according to Election Commission data.

Manish Verma, district magistrate and district election officer, said, “All efforts by school authorities are welcome as long as they can motivate voters to cast their votes, helping us increase the voter turnout of the district.”