Pvt schools hail HC verdict, but parents wary

The High Court ruling which scrapped the point system for nursery admissions was today welcomed by private schools, but the parents were disappinted as they felt it would allow schools to set arbitrary rules.
Even as parents across the city said that the HC decision would pave the way for private schools calling all the shots when it comes to nursery admissions, school officials themselves said they had more responsibility now to ensure accountability.
"It is a welcome step; the only thing is that when freedom is given, accountability becomes all the more important. We have to ensure that parents do not face difficulties and children do not become the sufferers.

"School managements should maintain transparency and put up their polices and rules online so that parents can take decisions accordingly," said Usha Ram, principal of the Laxman Public School in Hauz Khas Enclave.
The Director of Spring Dales, Dr Jyoti Bose, said that the guidelines set by the Lt Governor were neither practical nor workable.
"The criteria laid down by the Honorable LG was not practical for all schools and they were followed with much disappointment.

"In my case, we hardly have any neigbhours, so the neighbourhood concept that children living within 8-km radius of a particular school should be given preference during admission did not fit.

"Also, we are a 60-year-old school and so have a large alumni. Thus, even the alumni criteria was difficult to follow. And, while following the sibling criteria, we angered a lot of people," said Bose who, however, added that schools which cause incovenience to parents and children should be taken to task.
HC today passed the judgement while disposing of two petitions challenging notification issued by the LG last year introducing point system.
Under the system, out of a total of 100 points, 70 were given if the child lived in the neighbourhood of the school, 20 for having a sibling as student there, 5 points if either parent is an alumni and another 5 points if it was an inter- state transfer case. Draw of lots were held at each point level. The government had later abolished the five points being awarded for inter-state transfer cases.