EWS category faces tough time in getting forms
January 07, 2011 6:20:12 AM

Staff Reporter | New Delhi

Even though Delhi Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely assured a hassle-free admission process for parents across the Capital and especially to the parents under economically weaker sections (EWS) category on Wednesday, parents falling under EWS category faced a tough time trying to get nursery admission forms for their wards across the Capital even on Thursday.

Some parents alleged that certain schools are outrightly denying in issuing forms to the EWS category, whereas other schools are asking not only about the parent’s income, but also about the income of every earning member of the family.

A father of a three-year-old said, “VSPK International School, Rohini and DAV Public School at ND Block in Pitampura out rightly refused to give me the form. They said that my child will not be able to qualify the age criteria, whereas my child will be three years before March 31 and the second one refused to give me the form saying that they are not taking applicants from Rohini. I easily qualify the neighbourhood criteria as my house is just few km away from the school”. The father further added that this is just a trick by the schools to not to give admission to the EWS category.

The principal of DAV School, ND Block in Pitampura, Anita Batera however said, “We have kept the age criteria as three years for EWS category and we are considering applicants from areas within 10 km. The admission procedure is going off well”.

Another parent from Rohini alleged that some schools like DAV Public School in Sector 7 are not only asking parents about their income but are also asking about each and every minute detail of their family. The parent said, “In the DAV Public School in Rohini, the school is not only asking about our income but they are also asking us if we own TV, refrigerator, cooler etc. They also want information about the vehicle we own”.

Some had also alleged that school was asking about the income of each and every earning member of the family. One of the parent said, “I stay in a joint family with my brother. The total income of our whole family would above `one lakh. Why they are asking about the income of other members of the family”?

Sumit Vohra, fonder of admissionsnursery.com, a forum for parents’ queries said, “It is disappointing that even after Lovely’s statement, parents are facing such trouble. Harassing parents by asking unnecessary information is absolutely uncalled for. EWS category should be provided with the 25 per cent seats reserved for them. Schools should respect the DoE guidelines and RTE”.