MPs cannot recommend students for Class 11 admission under quota to KV schools

Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Union HRD minister will no longer be able to recommend students for admission to class 11 in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under their quota.

A decision regarding this effect was taken on Tuesday in a board meeting of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) chaired by Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar, officials said. The KVS had earlier stopped this practice for Class 10 and 12. They will be allowed to give their recommendation for classes 1 to 9.

Known popularly as KV, the central government-funded institution runs a chain of schools across the country and provides affordable quality education. Under the special dispensation quota for parliamentarians in KVs, each member can refer 10 cases for admission in an academic year. These admissions are over and above the class strength.

The meeting also decided to complete the general admission process by April and a deadline of May 30 has been fixed for admissions recommended by MPs and the HRD minister.

“To ensure there is no delay in admissions, MPs have been asked to send their recommendations by April 16. By winding up the admission process soon we will be able to focus on classroom teaching,” said a senior HRD official.

Earlier admissions used to go on as late as July affecting the process of teaching, officials said. The HRD minister has a quota of around 450 seats.

These schools essentially cater to the schooling needs of children of central government employees with transferable jobs. KVS officials said they admit about 1.5 lakh new students every year, about 1 lakh of them in class 1.

The KVs have fared better than private schools in the class 12 final examination over the years and hence there is a great demand for admission to these schools.