Nursery admissions Schools flout DoE norms, make own rules
SANA SHAKIL
NEW DELHI


With schools in the Capital starting the nursery admission procedures from Saturday, the schools have started violating the norms issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE). The guidelines issued by the DoE clearly disallows screening of parents on the basis of their educational qualification and income. But the online forms of various schools across the city for instance, VSPK International School, Rohini has sought details of academic/professional, qualification and occupation of the parents.

The admission form for GD Goenka Public School, Dwarka similarly has blank spaces next to parents' qualification, occupation and annual gross income. Furthermore, if allegations by parents are to be believed, some schools are also demanding donations from parents to give admission to their wards.

The online form of VSPK International School, Rohini for 2011-2012, is asking parents to jot down details about their academic/professional, qualification and occupation. The admission form for GD Goenka Public School, Dwarka is similarly asking for parents’ qualification, occupation and
annual gross income. ASN School, Mayur Vihar is also asking parents to give information about their .

Sumit Vohra, founder of admissionsnursery.com, a forum for parents’ queries said, “I do not know why DoE is turning a blind eye to these violations made by the schools. If the DoE is not aware of these violations, they should immediately take some corrective steps". Vohra added that the information sought by public schools asking parents to disclose their academic qualification and professional credentials will definitely lead to the screening of children which is strictly prohibited according to the Right to Education (RTE) and the guidelines issued by the DoE.
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Vohra further said, “I wonder whether these criteria and categories were not approved by the DoE? DoE should take up the matter immediately”. A father of a three-year-old and a resident of the Nangloi area said, “I went through the website and forms of VSPK International School, and they
are asking for the parents’ qualifications and their professional details”.

A parent on requesting not to publish his name as it may hamper the chances of their daughter’s admission said, “I did not study in a good school. So, I will not get alumni points, and with all the profiling of parents, I am afraid they will not qualify my child. ” The parent further said that he is looking for nursery schools
in the areas of Paschim Vihar, Vikas Puri and Janakpuri. As this is his first child, ‘sibling points’ is also ruled out for him.

Furthermore, the above parent alleged that he on many occasion has encountered and also approached by ‘agents’ of schools in regards to admissions. “When I spoke to one of the director of the renowned institution, I was shocked that he justified the demand of donation, ” he alleged.