The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Now it’s school admission fever

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Friday, Dec 05, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Now it’s school admission fever

Meera Srinivasan

With popular schools getting thousands of applications, heads face challenges

— Photo: K.V.SRINIVASAN

Long wait: Parents waiting outside a private school in Chennai early on Wednesday. In fact, wary parents had started queuing up outside the school from Tuesday evening.

CHENNAI: N. Rajasekar would have never stood that long in any line. He spent an entire night and a few hours the next morning waiting in the queue outside a popular private school recently.

The 34-year-old service sector professional was going to obtain a kindergarten application form for his nearly three-year-old daughter. “This is one of the very few good schools in our vicinity. The demand is crazy. I cannot take any chance,” he says.

For parents like him, the hunt for that one coveted kindergarten seat in a “good school” could be a draining experience — physically, emotionally and sometimes, financially.

“We have been saving up since my son was born, just in case we are asked for a huge donation. Our friends had to pay heavily last year,” says Jayashri Raghu, who is planning to try her luck at CBSE schools in South Chennai. “We have also identified a VIP known to our family, who we can approach for recommendation letters.”

Following complaints of huge sums of donation being demanded, the State’s School Education Department constituted committees in September last year to identify schools demanding donations for admissions, and take necessary action against them. “The respective Chief Educational Officers in each district have been taking action,” an official said.

What schools say

Over the last few years, the admission scenario has not become any easier. With all sought-after schools receiving thousands of applications for a few hundred seats, private managements and school heads have their share of challenges — thousands of phone calls every day and pressure from different quarters.

Parents, in their eagerness to admit their children to the school, tend to be “unreasonable” sometimes, says the Principal of a Matriculation school, who did not wish to be named. “They come and say ‘we are ready to pay any amount that you want. Please admit our child.’ It does not work that way. In fact, in most cases, Principals hardly have a say. All recommendations are rooted through the management,” he says.

Parameters for admission

Most schools have their own set of parameters on which decisions on admissions are made.

C. Satish, Senior Principal, D.A.V. Boys Senior Secondary School, Gopalapuram, says proximity to schools is the primary factor. “All the data pertaining to an application is fed in the computer. Those who live closer to the school always have a better chance.”

Proximity, in fact, is the main criterion for most schools.

“We do check for the age-appropriateness. A child should have completed 3 years before applying for LKG. Proximity is key,” says Rajeshwari Menon, senior Principal, SBOA Matriculation Higher Secondary School.

It is not advisable to make a child travel too long. “It will show on the child’s eating habits and health,” she notes.

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