This week’s draw of lots makes parents jittery

CHANDIGARH: Some private schools are listed to give admissions to students in entrylevel classes through draw of lots this week. What is more interesting is the fact that some parents appear stressed because of this. What is making these parents jittery is not the draw date but the speculations over the seats that would be allotted user general category.
As of now, all the schools have mentioned that they would be first filling in seats with candidates falling under various categories but general. No break up has been given yet.

On Monday, Strawberry Fields High School-26 held draw of lots for 160 seats for the academic year 2018-19. While 59 seats were given to siblings, 61seats were allotted under general category. Rest of the seats are reserved for the students from the economically weaker sections of the society and would be allocated on February 9.



St John's High School, Carmel Convent School and Sacred Heart School have received more than 3,960 forms for 640 seats. At St Anne's School-32, 1,960 application forms were submitted for 200 seats.

At St John's, around 700 forms were received for 160 seats, whereas Sacred Heart and Carmel Convent received around 1,000 forms in five days for 120 and 160 seats, respectively.

For parents, the odds are mounting. Over the last few years, schools have been filling seats in the preferred categories before opening the remaining seats for the draw of lots.

Last year, four coveted missionary schools — St John's High School (all boys), Carmel Convent School (all girls), Sacred Heart School (all girls) and St Anne's Convent School — opened only 341out of 640 seats for the general category.

At St John's High School, nearly 521 applications were received for 160 seats for UKG but only 94 were left open for the draw of lots. At Sacred Heart School, nearly 981 forms were received against 160 seats and only 97 were left open for the general category. At Carmel Convent, 820 forms were received against 120 seats, with only 50 seats offered in the general category, and at St Anne's, 2,196 forms were received for 250 seats.

"Selection for free and open seats, if available, after allocation of other seats, would be made by draw of lots on Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 3pm," a circular stated.