Status quo on nursery admissions

While many parents may be hoping for some changes in nursery admission guidelines this year, these are most likely going to remain the same as last year. Mallica Joshi reports. Nursing dissent

While many parents may be hoping for some changes in nursery admission guidelines this year, these are most likely going to remain the same as last year.

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Delhi education minister, Arvinder Singh on Monday said that there are going to be no changes in the guidelines and that they are expected to be notified by the end of this month. The criterion of admission age, however, is under review by the court currently.

An NGO had filed a petition in the high court last week, saying that three years is too young for admission to Nursery.

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The court has asked the Delhi government for a reply regarding the plea by November 23.

"The guidelines will remain the same. We are not introducing any change. The court has only asked us for an explanation regarding the age," said Singh.

Last year's guidelines were based on the Right to Education (RTE) Act and reserved 25% seats for those belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS).

Out of the remaining 75%, 20% were reserved as the school's management quota and 5% for children of school staff.

Mandatory points were to be given on the basis of four categories - siblings, alumni, single parents and transfer cases. Schools were also given the freedom to include other categories such as neighbourhood and girl child.

The clauses that faced the most flak were points for alumni and the school's management quota.

"According to the RTE Act, schools cannot give or deny admission on the basis of education, income and profession of parents. But giving points from alumni enables schools, especially the high-profile ones to do just that," said Sumit Vohra, who owns the website admissionnursery.com, a website that has 35000 parents as members.

"By giving high points for alumni schools are enabled to screen students. They can easily judge the income level and the education of parents, something that the RTE Act prohibits," he added.