Action against schools violating nursery admission norms: Govt

NEW DELHI: In the light of holding nursery school admission in 105 schools, the Delhi government has warned all the private school that if any violation in admission process takes place then the government would be forced to take stern action against the violators.

The government has also urged the parents to keep a distance from such school which are violating the norms issued by the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DOE).

"In order to maintain transparency and uniformity in admission, the admission process of these 105 schools at the entry level for session 2019-20 shall be on hold till further orders," a senior DoE official said.

"If it is found that the said schools are taking admission despite being prevented to do so, necessary action as per norms will be taken without any further notice," the official added.

The distance of student's residence from the school, sibling quota, parents being alumni of the school, single child, first child are some of the criteria listed by schools for admissions to the entry-level classes.

According to the schedule released by the DoE, the application window will be open from Saturday and the last date of submitting application forms for nursery class admission for 2019-20 session is January 7. The first list of selected children, along with marks secured by them, will be out on February 4. The second list will be out on February 21 and the nursery admission process will conclude on March 31.

Twenty-five per cent seats in pre-school, pre-primary and class 1 will be reserved for economically weaker sections/disadvantaged groups.

The directorate had instructed all private schools to upload their criteria -- with points for each criterion -- for admission in open seats, on its official website by December 14.

There is, however, no clarity yet on the schedule of the EWS admissions.

The government has also set an upper age limit of fewer than four years to be eligible for the nursery, less than five years for kindergarten, and less than six years for admission to class 1.

The proposal for an upper age limit was challenged in the court last year. Though a Delhi High Court order last year had allowed the imposition of the upper age limit, the DoE had decided that the order will be applicable only from 2019 academic session.