Delhi Nursery Admission Reforms in private and public schools

Updated: 9/12/2024
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Last updated: 13 Sept 2024

The Nursery admission process is a struggle for every parent in India which involves private schools indulging in many malpractices

For easy & transparent Nursery admission process [1]

-- Nursery classes Started in Govt Schools as well
-- Blacklisted criteria for Private schools
-- Reforms & Central lottery in EWS Admissions
-- AAP government passed 3 new bills in the Delhi Assembly on December 1, 2015

Unanimously passed by Delhi Assembly in 2015, they have NOT yet approved by Central Government[2]

Even though the purpose of these bills were to protect the interest of students and parents but vested interests is having their way?

Govt Initiatives

1. Nursery classes Started in Govt Schools

In 2017-18, Delhi government started nursery and pre-primary classes in Govt Schools[3]

  • In 2017-18, started with classes in 150 of its 450 Sarvodaya schools[3:1]
  • There is no formal exam and admission is conducted through a draw of lots[3:2]

2. Reforms & Central lottery in EWS Admissions

3. Fixed Criteria & Centralised Admissions

All private unaided schools to remove certain unfair admission criteria and replace them with reasonable and transparent ones
-- At least 38 such admission points were black listed[4]

Generic Selection process & criteria for nursery in Delhi Private Schools:[5]

  • A pre-declared point system is used as a where specific marks are assigned to each criterion
  • Neighbourhood proximity is the primary criterion, carrying the maximum points. Most schools recommend using Google Maps for accurate distance calculation, as manual measurements may be inaccurate
  • Other criteria include siblings and alumni connections
  • Some schools also award points for being a firstborn, a girl child, or having a single parent
  • Schools have the flexibility to define and assign marks for each criterion based on their preferences
  • Parents' educational qualifications, occupation, or financial status are not considered in the selection process

Blacklisted Criteria since 2016[4:1]

  • Special ground (parents with proficiency in music, sports, national awardee etc)
  • Transferable jobs/ state transfers/IST
  • First Born- This criterion shall lead to discrimination for parents desirous to seek admission of his ward that is not first born
  • Parents’ education
  • School transport
  • Parents working in sister-concern school
  • Both parents are working
  • Status of child
  • Mother’s qualification 12th passed
  • Non-smoker parent
  • Empirical achievements of the parent
  • First time admission seekers
  • First come-first get
  • Oral test
  • Interview

4. New Education Laws[1:1]

"These bills will remove shortcomings of existing education policy. After new legislation, private schools can be run honestly. Government will form a committee which will get accounts of private schools audited through chartered accountants," - Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal[1:2]

1. The Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill (DSEAA)

This bill prohibits screening procedure for nursery/ pre-primary admissions in schools

  • Schools will be punished with a penalty of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, if they take interviews of students for nursery admission or charge capitation fees from the students

2. The Delhi School Verification of Accounts and Refund of Excess Fee Bill

  • It will regulate and refund excess fees in private institutions and is aimed at ensuring that private schools show greater accountability in fees accepted and money spent
  • Violators will be charged a hefty fine and even imprisonment under various provisions

3. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Delhi Amendment) Bill

“Right to Education Act, 2009, prohibits screening procedures in the matter of admission of a child in a school and makes it offence punishable under the law. However, the (RTE) Act, does not apply to children below 6 years of age and so does not apply to nursery class admissions”.[2:1]

  • This bill proposed to amend the Right to Education Act and scrap the no-detention policy till Class 8th
  • The amendment is aimed to improve the quality of the education from the primary levels itself

"The proposed legislation will significantly help slash fees in private schools and if laid down norms are not followed, then violators will be slapped with hefty financial penalty and jail term" -Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal[1:3]

References:

  1. https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/education-bills-delhi-275316-2015-12-02 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. https://lawbeat.in/news-updates/pil-high-court-seeks-expedite-finalization-process-delhi-school-education-amendment-bill-2015 ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/nursery-admissions-delhi-govt-schools-to-start-pre-primary-classes/story-tP57uJ0NJXIXdv7JG4n3UJ.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  4. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2023/Dec/18/not-neet-not-jee-fierce-competition-for-nursery-admission-in-delhi-2642579.html ↩︎ ↩︎

  5. https://www.ndtv.com/education/delhi-nursery-admissions-2024-eligibility-points-criteria-explained-4598734 ↩︎

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