The CBSE class X results might have been announced only on Monday night and the State Board results are yet to be announced, but many ‘popular' schools have almost completed the admission process for class XI. But these schools are in no way unique as others seemed to have completed the task by December itself.
For many such schools, the results of term exams were the criteria to complete the process.
On Tuesday afternoon, parents and students were seen rushing to submit applications forms at DAV Higher Secondary School, Gopalapuram. The management plans to close admissions by Thursday and has stipulated that qualification for DAV students is A/A1 in mathematics and science whereas for non-DAV students, the minimum is A1 in mathematics and science. “We don't sell applications to students who do not have the grade; we ask as it is a waste of money,” says Principal Ramaa Subramaniam .
Many schools reserve a majority of seats for their own students. In Maharishi Vidya Mandir School, 75 per cent of its 300 seats are filled by its students whereas in DAV, 140 out of its 240 seats – nearly 58 per cent – are reserved for its own students. Ms Ramaa points out that they consider grade point to shortlist their own students.
The rest of the seats are for non-DAV students including a small percentage for those from Matriculation schools. The school has received nearly 400 application forms from non-DAV students.
Many students who are keen on moving to the State board from other boards, mainly to improve scoring possibilities in class XI, are especially worried. Gowri Shankari, a student of Vel's Vidyashram Senior Secondary School, Pallavaram, scored 80 per cent in the CBSE exam but says: “For admission to science group, 95 per cent is the cut- off in the schools I was planning to apply. Vivekananda Vidyalaya, Chromepet refuses to give application forms as they have only seats for its students and those from sister institutions. A few other schools I contacted said they completed admission in March-April itself,” says Gowri.
Schools note that the difference of weeks in the declaration of results of different boards makes it very difficult to consider many applicants. Also, as CBSE expects the new academic session to start by April itself, schools feel it is smoother to complete the process as fast as possible.
According to educationist S.S. Rajagopalan, these phenomena end up placing undue stress on parents and students.
“School or the stream does not matter when educating a child. A motivated student will always learn. By shifting from one stream or Board to another, students waste two-three months adjusting to a new environment,” he says.
