Admissions window gets narrower

In case the government decides to go ahead with the lottery system,parents are likely to want to apply to as many schools as possible to increase the chances for selection for their child. Last year,the point-based criteria allowed the parents the luxury of shortlisting and applying to schools that gave their child an edge in the process.

A working mother from South Extension,Gayatri Prabhakar,said: This is going to be a huge issue for me. First,the guidelines are not out as yet. And then they have reduced the time from one month to just 15 days,how much can I do in these two weeks.”

Prabhakar is looking to admit her son Rudra this year. “If they define the guidelines,I will have a fair idea about the schools I need to shortlist. Right now,because of the logjam between the government and the schools,I am unable to even shortlist schools.”

The unaided private recognised schools across Delhi have been insisting on continuing with last year’s point system. Education minister Arvinder Singh Lovely has,however,said the guidelines issued by the HRD Ministry will have to be followed,which call for admissions on a “random” basis.

“I am worried about the criteria this year. Parents have less time and they will have to take more days off from work as researching on schools and going to submit the forms will take more time. We will have to think how to juggle work and applying to schools,” said Deepak P,a parent from Mansaovar Garden,East Delhi.

Rajan Arora,founder of nurseryadmissions.com,a site for admission-related queries,said: “There will be fewer seats available for the general category,as the EWS quota has increased. Parents will have to apply in more schools than they did under the point system and before the 25 per cent RTE quota.”

Even schools are wary of the rush. “The process will be disadvantageous to parents. It will also create unnecessary hurry among them,” said Manleen Ahluwalia,principal of Gyan Bharati School.