Srinagar, Aug 25: The private schools in Valley have decided to follow a uniform admission calendar as recommended by the Right to Education Act -2009.
The move comes after the government earlier issued instructions to the private schools to follow a uniform admission calendar for enrolling students in kindergarten classes.
As the new academic session is likely to commence from October-November of this year, the private schools have decided to start the admission process for kindergarten classes from September in accordance with the government order.
“Obviously we will follow the uniform admission calendar for enrolling students in Kindergarten section as it is a requirement as per the new Right to Education Act,” said president Private Schools Association J&K (PSAJK) G N Var.
“We are ready to follow the government directions in this regard,” he said.
As already reported by this newspaper, the school education department in September last year ordered private schools in J&K to follow a uniform admission calendar for enrolling students in kindergarten classes.
The directions were issued by the government days after the majority of the admission process culminated in the majority of private schools.
Later it was decided that directions will be followed from the 2021-22 academic session in private schools.
Notably, none of the top notch JK Board affiliated private schools has issued a notification for registration of students for admission in kindergarten classes.
“We have decided to go as per the admission calendar notified by the government. We have not issued any notice or activated any link for registration of students,” said a school functionary from Srinagar.
Another official working in a top notch private school of Srinagar said they had earlier conveyed parents about the activation of the registration link but later postponed the process.
“The process will now start from September as other schools will also follow the same admission calendar,” he said.
The decision to implement a uniform admission calendar was taken on the recommendations of the School Fee Fixation Committee (SFFC) to avoid exploitation of parents due to the different admission schedules in private schools.
The parents had complained to SFFC that different admission schedules adopted by the private schools in J&K results in exploitation and offers a limited choice of institutions for seeking admission.
The Government order states that the admission process in JKBOSE affiliated private schools in Kashmir and winter zone Jammu should start from 3rd week of September followed by receipt of application forms from parents in the last week of September.
Finalisation of selection and displaying list of selected students and waiting list should be done by October 10 and collection of fees by October 20, the order reads.
The private schools in Jammu division following the March session of academics are supposed to issue notification for admission in the 3rd week of January followed by issuance and receipt of application forms in the last week of January.
“The finalization and display of selected children and waiting list should be completed by February 10 and submission of fee from selected children should be done by February 20,” the order reads.