Delhi: Parents welcome new nursery guidelines, school authorities unhappy

New nursery admission guidelines announced in the city have been welcomed by parents but have left school authorities miffed over abolishment of management quota.

Schools are also unhappy over fixed points system and the preference being given to children living within a distance of six km from the school. According to the principal of a reputed private school, 70 points out of 100 being awarded to a child living within a radius of 6 km is unfair to children who live in far off places.

"Those who do not have good schools in their locality would seek admission in schools in other areas, the new rule is a huge disadvantage for them. Moreover, the new guideline is also against Right to Education (RTE).

"Under RTE, neighbourhood has been defined as 1 km and 3 km but here it has been expanded to 6 km, which is a huge area," she said on condition on anonymity.

School authorities termed the abolition of management quota as an "encroachment" on their rights. "We have already been forced to keep 25 per cent of seats in every school reserved for students from the economically weaker sections. Now, the management quota has also been done away with. We are private, unaided institutions and such kind of encroachment on our functioning leaves us with little elbow room," says the principal of a prominent school in South Delhi.

The authorities of these private schools will soon meet to discuss the new guidelines and chalk their further plan of action. However, most parents are happy with the new guidelines, especially with the abolition of alumni points and management quota.

"Schools took donations and gave away management quota seats. Also preference given to children of parents who had been students of the same school was also one way of denying children of ordinary people like us the opportunity to study in good schools. The new guidelines will ensure that more seats are up for grabs this time," said Sahil Khunteta, a parent.

Parents, who have daughters, also welcomed reservation of five per cent seats for girls.