Nursery admissions: Parents waiting for EWS guidelines

New Delhi: While the registration process for admissions to entry-level classes — nursery, KG, and first — in Delhi’s private schools has ended, parents looking to enrol their children under the reserved economically weaker section (EWS) and Disadvantaged Groups (DG) categories are still waiting for the state government to release the schedule for admissions under these groups, a delay that parents said will cost children time in classes

New Delhi: While the registration process for admissions to entry-level classes — nursery, KG, and first — in Delhi’s private schools has ended, parents looking to enrol their children under the reserved economically weaker section (EWS) and Disadvantaged Groups (DG) categories are still waiting for the state government to release the schedule for admissions under these groups, a delay that parents said will cost children time in classes.

HT Image

The online registration process for admission to 75% of general category seats in private unaided and recognised schools in Delhi was complete on March 4. But the government is yet to announce the schedule for a separate admission process it conducts for 25% seats reserved under EWS/DG categories as per the Right to Education (RTE) Act in these classes in private school.

Parents expressed their concern at the potential academic losses caused by the delay.

Amarjeet Singh, a resident of Tilak Nagar who is looking to enrol his son in nursery class at a private school under the EWS category this year, said, “The new academic session will begin next month. General category students will be able to join immediately since their admission process will complete on March 31 as per the government schedule. But what about EWS students? The admission process is already delayed this year. Who will make up for my son’s academic losses?”

The centralised process for admissions to entry-level classes in around 1,700 private schools, which usually commences in November or December, was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Khusboo, a resident of Gonda who is seeking admission of her two sons in nursery and Class 1 under the EWS category said, “My elder son could not get admission last year as his name did not appear in the list. His entire year went to waste. I am really worried about his admission now.”

Ekramul Haque of Mission Taleem, an organisation working with EWS children in Delhi, said, “We have received several queries from parents every day. The government should immediately release the notification for EWS/DG admissions and start the registration process. Otherwise, these students will suffer academically. These students have already faced losses since they could not study properly in 2020 due to the closure of schools [due to the pandemic].”

A senior government official, who asked not to be named, said, “The schedule for EWS/DG category will begin once the admission process for the general category is complete or at least one list of selected candidates is released. The government will fast-track the process to minimise the students’ academic loss.”

The first admission list for students under the general category students is scheduled to be released on March 20.