No testing kids, parents profiling in Class I admission: Govt

Updated on: Friday, November 26, 2010

Amid confusion among schools about admission norms upto Class I, Government has made it clear that children or parents should not be subjected to "testing and interview".

Though the fresh guidelines issued under the Right to Education Act state that the admissions will be based on 'random selection', it allows schools to frame their own admission policy to categorise students "on rational, reasonable and just basis".

The clarification comes after several unaided and aided schools sought clarification on procedure to be followed for admission as section 13(1) of the Right to Education Act states no school or person shall subject the child or his/her parents to any "screening procedure".

According to the guidelines issued, admission to 75 per cent seats in respect of unaided schools and specified category schools, and for all the seats in the aided schools, each school should formulate a policy under which admissions are to take place.

"This policy should include criteria for categorisation of applicants in terms of the objectives of the school on a rational reasonable and just basis".

"There shall be no profiling of the child based on parental educational qualifications. The policy should be placed by the school in the public domain, given wide publicity and explicitly seated in the school prospectus," the guidelines said.

It further said there shall be no testing and interviews for any child or parent falling within or outside the categories, and selection would be on a random basis.

"Admissions in class 1 (or pre-primary class as the case may be) in unaided and 'specified category' under section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act should be based on a system of 'random selection' out of the applications received," a statement said.

This procedure should be followed for filling the pre-determined number of seats in that class, which should not be not less than 25 per cent of the strength of the class.

Section 12(1)(c) of the Act states that unaided schools and specified category schools shall admit at least 25 per cent of children belonging to weaker section from the neighbourhood and provide them free and compulsory education till completion of elementary education.

On madrassas and vedic pathshalas, the HRD Ministry issued guidelines clarifying that as these institutes are protected under Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution, the "RTE Act will not come in the way of continuance of such institutions or the rights of children in such institutions".

No testing kids, parents profiling in Class I admission: Govt

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