DEO takes measures to solve admission problem

While every year the exercise begins after the examination results are out, this time the district education officer convened a meeting of principals of secondary schools to deliberate on the possible admission problem ahead of the announcement of results.

The meeting held at the I N Tekrawala High School — under the chairmanship of the DEO — in Palanpore Patia area discussed the problem faced last year and unanimously decided to admit 60 students per class.

Though the principals wanted the strength of students per class restricted to 55, they later settled for 60 in view of the possible increase in the number of admission-seekers.

The management will now have to ensure that the number of students admitted to the VIIIth standard, both who pass from their own primary schools and outsiders, is 60 per class and release a list as early as possible. If some students still fail to secure admissions, the district education officer will introduce zonal system and admit excess students to schools falling under respective zones.

Sources in the DEO’s office claimed the admission problem owes its presence to the parents insistence on securing admission for their wards in particular schools. Moreover, those who pass out from schools run by the Nagar Prathamik Shikshan Samiti of the Surat Municipal Corporation vie for getting admission in grant schools.

Last year, 33,735 students appeared for the examination and with a possible seven per cent increase their number may go up to 36,000. At present, there are 440 classes in various schools running on government grants while 89 are non-grant classes. With five more classes set to get recognition the total number will go up to 534. Even than not every student is assured of getting into class VIII.

The schools have been advised to start the admission procedure the very next day of announcement of the class VIIth result. The last date for preparing the list of admitted students is May 18 and the schools have been asked to complete the admission procedure by May 23.