No criteria clarity on 298 schools

New Delhi: Nursery admission process began in private schools on Monday amid confusion over the eligibility criteria. The government is yet to issue guidelines for 298 schools running on DDA land.

Not sure how the admission rules differ this year, parents reached schools early in the morning even though the application process is mostly online. The government had last week directed 298 private schools, built on the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land, to withhold nursery admission process for the forthcoming academic session till new guidelines are notified by the city administration.

The government wants that admission to these schools should be based on neighbourhood criteria — which gives to advantage to applicants living closer to school. Guideline for these schools are expected in a week’s time. While these schools will be required to fill 75 per cent of seats with students who live in nearby localities, an official notification is awaited in a week’s time. Remaining 1,400 private schools in the city can fix their own parameters of admission.

“I had spoken to the L-G about this issue during his oath-taking ceremony. I am hopeful that we will get an approval within one or two days and then the guidelines for admissions to these schools will also be issued,” deputy chief minister and education minister Manish Sisodia said.

“I got to know that many schools will have different criteria for admissions. But I have no clue which schools are these,” one of the parents who came to enquire about the admission process at Delhi Public School in South Delhi’s Vasant Kunj.

Amity International School in Saket and Ahlcon International School in Mayur Vihar also saw many parents coming with admission queries. But many had to return without any information about the admission process.

“We send them back asking them to check the admission details online. Till a government order comes, we have to wait,” said an official at Amity International School in Saket. The application process will last till January 23. The first list of selected students will be announced on February 25.