EWS admissions for nursery to go online

For the first time, admission in nursery classes in private schools under the economically weaker section (EWS) and disadvantaged group (DG) categories will go online. The admission schedule for EWS and DG categories are notified by the Delhi government on Tuesday.

Till now, the government has just been issuing a common form and monitoring the draw-of-lots. The rest of the process used to be managed by the schools. In an online system, however, candidates will be allotted seats and the admission process will be centralised.

The admission process under the categories will begin and conclude as per the schedule of nursery admissions from January 1 to March 30. While the last date for submitting the application is January 22, the first list will be out on February 15 followed by another list on February 29.

A directorate of education (DoE) circular issued on Tuesday said, “Admissions of EWS (annual income less than one lakh rupees)/DG category (SC/ST/OBC non-creamy layer/physically challenged/orphan and transgender) shall be made through computerised lottery system in the schools against 25 per cent seats reserved for them under the provisions of Right to Education Act, 2009.”

The department, however, clarified that only schools recognised under Delhi School Education Act and Rules (DSEAR), 1973 will be part of the online process and those recognised Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 and regulated by local authorities will continue the admission in the previous mode.

“The schools up to elementary level recognised by DoE under the RTE Act 2009, schools up to primary level recognised by local authorities and schools up to primary level recognised by this directorate — under RTE Act, 2009 — now regulated by local authorities are not the part of this online admission process for 2016-17. These schools shall conduct admissions of EWS/DG category seats manually as being done in previous years,” it said.

The DoE will also upload on its website a list of schools recognised under the two categories. Detailing the criteria for admission under the two categories, the DoE circular said, “Admission shall first be offered to eligible students belonging to EWS and DG category residing within 1 KM of the specific school. In case the vacancies remain unfilled students residing within 3 KM of the school shall be admitted”.

“If there are still vacancies, then the admission shall be offered to other students residing within 6 km of the institution. Students residing beyond 6 km shall be admitted only in case vacancies remain unfilled even after considering all the students within 6 KM area,” it added.

The notification further said, “However schools shall accept forms from all applicants under the EWS and disadvantaged group irrespective of distance of residence from school, and then segregate them slab-wise as mentioned for draw of lots”.

The move to make admissions online comes in wake of the fake admissions detected under the categories in previous years. In June this year, the Delhi police crime branch had claimed a breakthrough in prolonged investigation into allegations of irregularities in admissions on the seats meant for poor with the arrest of seven persons.