Pvt school association opposes CAP for pre-primary,calls it impractical

“The announcement is not practical. It is possible to have a centralised admission process for the reserved 25 per cent seats under Right to Education Act,2009,but for the rest of 75 per cent it is impossible,” said president and former Union minister Vijay Naval Patil,Maharashtra Rajya Shikshansanshta Mahamandal (MRSM),a federation of private educational organisations in the state.

Challenging the announcement,Patil said,“Every school has different fee structure and different ideology. How is Mane planning to normalise all the different factors involved in school admissions?”

He added,“RTE was implemented two years ago and we are yet to get our reimbursements. I advice Mane to implement properly whatever he has already done and then plan on more regulations. We will have a meeting with him as soon as we get a circular from the department.”

Lakshmi Kumar,Director,Orchid School,said,“Parents have different economic conditions and different ideologies based on which they select the school. Some choose state board,while the others go for CBSE schools. The entire admission process is based on ideologies and a common admission procedure will not in any way help parents. This decision is impractical.”

Backing his stand on the issue,Mane said,“The circular will be sent out soon. Parents will have to apply through a common website. We will rope in Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited to make this website.”

Mane said children will be given admission to schools within 3 km radius of their residence. When asked if a parent wants his child admitted to a renowned school which is far from his residence,Mane said,”There is no renowned school and a bad school. All schools are same and the school which is the nearest will be given priority irrespective of what parents want. This is to end the admission rackets that flourishes during the admission process.”

Admission process to pre-primary or Class 1 usually starts by November-end or in December in the city. But the schools are delaying the process after the announcement. “We are waiting for a clarification from the government. Only after that we are going to start the admission procedure,” said Arpita Karkare,Director,Millenium School.

Minister of State for School Education Fauzia Khan,said,“There is a proposal to go online for school admission. But the decision whether the online procedure will be for the reserved 25 per cent seats or for the rest of the seats in pre-primary or Class 1 is yet to be taken. We will analyse the proposal,its pros and cons and only then will take a decision. As of now,there is no final decision on the matter.”