Parents edgy as admission dates near

For Shivani Mehta, a parent keen to get her child admitted to nursery this year, life changed on December 15, the day schools started selling nursery forms.

For Shivani Mehta, a parent keen to get her child admitted to nursery this year, life changed on December 15, the day schools started selling nursery forms.

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“My husband and I get ready by 8 am and start visiting schools to either collect or submit forms,” said Mehta.

“We get back by 1 pm and then take turns to browse the websites to look for information about nursery admission. We start filling the forms in the evening and then plan which schools to visit the next day.”

Mehta has collected 25 forms from various schools in the city. Her husband has taken leave from office and she has foregone her daily dose of television soaps. All this to secure that prized seat in the school of their choice.

After the rush to collect forms the parents are now preparing themselves for the all-important ‘interaction’ with schools.

Although the Directorate of Education guidelines forbid schools to interview the candidates or their parents, some schools are interviewing parents, terming it as an interaction. And it starts from the form filling process.

Sandhya Deb (name changed), a parent, said the form of Srijan School, Model Town, had questions such as ‘why do you consider the process of schooling important for your child?’, 'how would you, as a parent contribute to the school in terms of time and skill?'.

“It’s easier to get into college than answer questions like these to secure admission for nursery,” said Deb.

“We browse the internet to look for the best possible answers to questions and some of my friends are even seeking help from 'professionals' who can help them write the answers that would impress the school authorities,” said Mehta

Some parents feel that all these efforts may not suffice. Pooja Arora Grover, a parent, is apprehensive that in schools which are giving points for educational qualification and proven track record of parents in any field, they might be at a disadvantage.

“My husband and I are graduates and have received no awards in any field,” said Grover.

Meeta Sahni Rakshit, who has been asked by RS Junior Modern School to submit the form for her daughter's admission on December 22 will also have the interaction with the school authorities on the same day. “I hope everything clicks and my daughter gets a seat in the school,” said Rakshit.