Mumbai schools get online for nursery, KG admissions

Around 100 Mumbai schools have got together and started an online admission process for nursery and junior kindergarten (KG) classes. The online process allows parents to apply for admission in multiple schools while submitting documents only once. Though there was confusion about the date on which to start admissions, schools say they started the online admission process on Saturday and it will remain open for 15 days after which the list of students allotted admission will be announced.

Speaking about the initiative, Fr George Athaide, secretary of the Archdiocese Board of Education (ABE), which regulates most mission-run schools in the city, said that 34 schools under the ABE were participating in the online admission process. “The online admission process is similar to the one being carried out for admission to FYJC. A parent can apply for admission to multiple schools without having to go to each school individually. The initiative is aimed at making the process convenient for parents, as well as curbing anti-social elements from fleecing parents by selling them forms,” said Fr Athaide.

Elaborating on the benefits, Fr Francis Swamy, joint secretary of the ABE, said that while it reduced the hassle of making parents queue up outside the school overnight, the information submitted would also serve as a permanent record for future references. “The data will enable schools to verify the financial background of the applicants, as well as know whether they have any sibling or relative in the school. This was previously done manually and took a lot of time, but this process is not only time saving but also beneficial to the schools as well as the parents,” said Fr Swamy.

While there had been confusion about the date for the start of the admissions to nursery and junior KG classes, the schools have decided to go ahead by starting with the online admission process on Saturday.

“The window for applying online is for 15 days after which the list of selected students will be announced. As there are no instructions from the government regarding the dates, the process was started today,” said Fr Jude Fernandes, principal of St Mary’s SSC.

Mazgaon, one of the first schools in the city to start online admissions. He added that while the process was not new, the additional features of applying for multiple schools at the same time was new along with uploading of documents like copies of birth certificate, ration card and other documents required to ascertain the age and status of the applicant.

Fr Swamy added that participating schools had been asked to help parents who are not computer savvy to fill up forms by providing them help to apply from the premises of any participating school.