By Ms. Alka Kapur, Principal, Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi
After much deliberation, the Directorate of Education (Private School Branch), Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, has issued detailed guidelines regarding Nursery admissions. In the wake of the pandemic, the DOE has decided that it would be best to conduct the admissions online. The following admission schedule has been announced for entry-level classes, including Nursery.
- Uploading the admission criteria in the Department’s module: 17/02/2021
- Commencement of admission process and availability of forms: 18/02/2021
- Last date of submission of application forms in schools: 04/03/2021
- Uploading details of children who applied to the schools for admission under open seats: 09/03/2021
- Uploading marks (as per the point system) for children who applied for admission under open seats: 15/03/2021
- The date for displaying the first list of selected children (including waiting list): 20/03/2021
- Resolution of queries of parents regarding allotment of points to their wards in the first list: 22/03/2021 – 23/03/2021
- Date of displaying the second list, if any: 25/03/2021
- Resolution of queries of parents regarding allotment of points to their wards in the second list: 26/03/2021
- The subsequent list of admission, if any: 27/03/2021
- Closure of admission process: 31/03/2021
DOE has strictly mentioned that no deviation from the aforementioned schedule should take place, and each private school is required to display the schedule on their notice boards. Also, it will be the responsibility of the schools to ensure that application forms are available until the last date of submission, which is 04/03/2021.
The private schools in Delhi are now making necessary preparations to conduct the admissions online. However, since the DOE has prepared detailed guidelines, there isn’t much room for the schools to improvise. They simply have to follow the procedure laid down by the DOE and make preparations accordingly. Since this is going to be the first time when the Nursery admissions will be conducted completely online, some hiccups are to be expected. However, this will also go a long way in strengthening our technological infrastructure.
The only part of the admission process has been left to the discretion of schools is the admission procedure. However, the DOE has emphasized that the admission procedure should be fair, reasonable, and transparent. The DOE vide order dated 06/01/2016 has abolished 62 criteria adopted by the private schools during the admission process for the academic session 2016-17 which were found to be unfair, unreasonable, and non-transparent. No schools should adopt any of the abolished criteria.
With the initiation of the largest immunization drive in history, it is being expected that the menace of Covid-19 will start subsiding now. At such a crucial time, canceling Nursery admissions would have only led to further commotion and chaos. While there was a high probability that the Nursery admissions might get canceled, many parents and teachers are relieved that it did not happen.
