In a bid to make the nursery admission process more transparent this year, especially for applicants from economically weaker sections (EWS), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said his government will henceforth decide on all school admissions made under the category.
As per the Right to Education Act, 25 per cent of the total number of seats at private schools must be reserved for EWS applicants. Referring to the online mode of application under the EWS quota, where parents can list schools in descending order of preference, Mr. Kejriwal said: “All online applications for admissions under the EWS quota will henceforth be reviewed by the government’s Education Department and private schools will no longer have a say in such matters.”
The Chief Minister and his deputy Manish Sisodia were addressing parents at the NDMC convention centre over the issue of his government’s decision to scrap management quota across private schools and making the admission process more streamlined from this year onwards.
Mr. Kejriwal lamented the fact that people often come to his office with “school admission” related-requests.
“It’s really unfortunate that a natural right like school admission has to be taken up with a Chief Minister,” he noted.
He said the scrapping of management quota for nursery admissions in private schools has thrown open 50 per cent extra seats for the common man, and added that his government had no intention of “interfering” with the daily affairs of the school.
The Chief Minister also said the Delhi government will “think” about online admissions for the 75 per cent open seats next year.
“The Delhi government has made school admissions totally transparent. Scrapping management quota, which were used to oblige recommendations of politicians, government functionaries and powerful people, has opened nearly 50 per cent extra seats for the common man,” Mr. Kejriwal said, while interacting with parents seeking admissions for their wards.
Mr. Sisodia said his government will no longer allow schools to run like “teaching shops”.
In a stern message against commercialisation of education, the Deputy Chief Minister asked private schools to strictly follow the guidelines for admissions under the standalone EWS quota.
However, Mr. Kejriwal sounded rather mindful of the ground reality in Delhi’s government-run schools. Although hopeful that his government will add activities that were previously the exclusive domain of private schools, he said it will take nearly two years for his government to improve the existing system.
“Major changes in government schools may take some time. But I’m sure that two years down the line, most parents will prefer to admit their wards in government schools,” he added.
Further, Mr. Kejriwal touched upon an array of healthcare-related works that his government intends to deliver by 2016. “This year, we have planned to improve health services across all State hospitals, where certain medicines and other consumables will be provided free of cost to patients.”
(The author is an intern with The Hindu )
Kejriwal said the scrapping of management quota for nursery admissions has thrown open 50 per cent extra seats for the common man
