Missionary schools have different criteria

Christian missionary schools across the Capital may top the wish list of parents gearing up for pre-school and pre-primary admission battle, but one must know that the criteria for admissions here is distinctly different, reports Ritika Chopra.

Christian missionary schools across the Capital may top the wish list of parents gearing up for pre-school and pre-primary admission battle, but one must know that the criteria for admissions here is distinctly different.

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While unaided schools have the freedom to devise their own 100-point system, usually drawing on parameters suggested by the Directorate of Education, all minority-run institutions in Delhi are allowed to keep the “minority status of the child” as a criterion. In fact, these schools are allowed to accord as much as 51 points for this parameter.

Schools such as St. Thomas, Mandir Marg, Carmel Convent School, Chanakyapuri, St Columba’s School and Don Bosco School assigned a sizeable chunk of the 100-points for the Christian parameter last year.

But none of this is in violation of court orders or government directive. In fact, this is very much in sync with Article 30 (1) of the Constitution, which safeguards their freedom to admit children of the minority community.

“For the other 49 points, schools are allowed to divide it among any three to five criteria they wish to choose from the ones suggested by the government,” said Romy Chacko, who has represented Christian missionary schools this year in the Supreme Court for their petition against imposition of nursery admission guidelines on minority institutions.

So, like last year most missionary schools this time too will be keeping aside as much as 51 points for the children of their community.

Carmel Convent and Don Bosco are among them.

However, this apart, all missionary schools are following the minimum age criteria (three plus for pre-school and four plus for pre-primary), the calendar prescribed by the Directorate and steering clear of any interaction with parents or the child before admission.