The nursery admission season is going to begin soon in the Capital, with the guidelines for the preschool admissions for the next academic session to be announced by the second week of December. The admission process will begin from January 1 and application forms will be available in the last week of December.

However, schools across the city say that the guidelines would remain practically the same as per the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009, but the admission process could only start after it's declared by the directorate of education (DOE).

As per the recent October ruling of the DOE, the economically weaker sections (EWS) category will now include 'orphans' as well, under the disadvantaged section. In order to avail of the provision, children will have to produce a certificate issued by the department of women and child development.

In April, the apex court notified that all schools - private and aided; would have to conduct the preschool admissions based on RTE guidelines. As per the Act, all schools except for unaided minority institutions, will have to reserve 25% seats for students belonging to the EWS category in the neighbourhood . While city schools will need to follow the point system for admissions to the general category , for EWS students, there will be a common form and a lottery system in place. "We are going to have a meeting with the DOE officials on November 26, regarding the upcoming admission season. Though the guidelines will remain more or less the same as in the last few years, we will be discussing if revision of points is required. All schools are required to reserve 25% seats for the EWS children," says Ameeta Mulla Wattal, principal of Springdales School, Pusa Road.

Meanwhile, parents are gearing up for the nursery grind, including those who could not get their children admitted last year.