Parents prepare for screening tests

For parents gearing up for this year’s nursery admission season, it is time they knew their child’s behaviour pattern thoroughly, Shaswati Das reports.

For parents gearing up for this year’s nursery admission season, it is time they knew their child’s behaviour pattern thoroughly.

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An ideal answer must be ready for situations such as a tantrum thrown by the child or the child’s behaviour towards either parent.

While the Right to Education (RTE) Act prohibits it, parents had to go through screening tests last year. This year, they are better equipped as they have already begun preparing for probable interviews.

“I had taken my child to a school in Dwarka last year where I was asked questions related to the situation when my child throws a tantrum or fights with another child or misbehaves in front of other people. I wasn’t aware that such an interview will take place and so my child lost out. But this year, I’m better prepared,” said Rajnish Mehra (name changed), a parent.

While parents insist that such underhand screening rounds are conducted, schools maintained that no such deviation had happened.

“Conducting a screening process flouts RTE norms. If a school does it, then parents should take it up with the higher authorities such as the Directorate of Education or CBSE. But some people are also given to rumour-mongering because seats are limited and they tend to run down the school,” said Ameeta Wattal, vice chairperson, National Progressive Schools’ Conference (NPSC).

Yet, parents have consistently complained of screening rounds. “Every year, most schools in NCR conduct a screening and interview round with parents and children. This trend is rampant in Delhi schools too. Last year, parents had complained that some very sought-after schools had conducted a similar screening process. So we now have a forum to allow parents to interact and discuss such possible questions,” said Sumit Vohra, founder of www.admissionsnursery.com