NEW DELHI: Schools say the high court's decision allowing them to decide nursery criteria will benefit everyone concerned; parents aren't so sure. Despite several lacunae in last year's guidelines- points for inter-state transfer and one slab for distance-parents had reacted positively to the attempt to create common guidelines. They had especially welcomed the abolishing of 'management quota' that had freed up more seats for general category applicants.
Their wariness about management quota stems from an abiding notion that schools take donations for those 20% seats. A parent commenting on this on admissionsnursery.com writes, "This judgment is going to generate lots of black money!" Vasant Kunj resident Praveen Sharma, who'll be seeking admission for his daughter this year, said, "I've been told that Delhi schools take money for these seats. Donations will come into the picture again".
School managements are aware of this lack of trust and say they're taking measures to regulate. But parents only see a tough time ahead. "Now this seems to be the kind of verdict which will open the doors for a lot of appeals and PILs. If not anything else, this will confuse... parents as they will now have to go through every school's separate guidelines. But I have a feeling this journey has just got underway and we are still a long way off from this year's final admission guidelines," writes another.
"Instead of quashing, they could've just tweaked the guidelines," said Jyoti Handa, a Tagore Garden resident who'll be applying this year for her daughter, a second child. "There should be some common guidelines and some semblance of control."
"Now that they are free to devise their own points distribution, what is the guarantee that private schools will not misuse that power by assigning points to ridiculous categories like "noble cause", "children of state/ national awardees, civil services, those living on bus routes and those opting for school transport?" said Sumit Vohra who runs admissionsnursery.com, listing some of the more unusual criteria to which schools allotted points before 2013.
These are not all the stran- ge categories-some schools allotted points to those who can make own arrangement for transport, to "promotion of Indian heritage" and "inspirational work for the nation". Disabled children are likely to benefit though HC previously directed schools to create a separate quota for them.
"The main sufferer is the first child, as very few schools give points. Again, sibling and alumni will get seats in established schools. Unless schools take a lesson from last year and understand parents' plight, there is no end to this problem," added Vohra.
Their wariness about management quota stems from an abiding notion that schools take donations for those 20% seats. A parent commenting on this on admissionsnursery.com writes, "This judgment is going to generate lots of black money!" Vasant Kunj resident Praveen Sharma, who'll be seeking admission for his daughter this year, said, "I've been told that Delhi schools take money for these seats. Donations will come into the picture again".
School managements are aware of this lack of trust and say they're taking measures to regulate. But parents only see a tough time ahead. "Now this seems to be the kind of verdict which will open the doors for a lot of appeals and PILs. If not anything else, this will confuse... parents as they will now have to go through every school's separate guidelines. But I have a feeling this journey has just got underway and we are still a long way off from this year's final admission guidelines," writes another.
"Instead of quashing, they could've just tweaked the guidelines," said Jyoti Handa, a Tagore Garden resident who'll be applying this year for her daughter, a second child. "There should be some common guidelines and some semblance of control."
"Now that they are free to devise their own points distribution, what is the guarantee that private schools will not misuse that power by assigning points to ridiculous categories like "noble cause", "children of state/ national awardees, civil services, those living on bus routes and those opting for school transport?" said Sumit Vohra who runs admissionsnursery.com, listing some of the more unusual criteria to which schools allotted points before 2013.
These are not all the stran- ge categories-some schools allotted points to those who can make own arrangement for transport, to "promotion of Indian heritage" and "inspirational work for the nation". Disabled children are likely to benefit though HC previously directed schools to create a separate quota for them.
"The main sufferer is the first child, as very few schools give points. Again, sibling and alumni will get seats in established schools. Unless schools take a lesson from last year and understand parents' plight, there is no end to this problem," added Vohra.
