The admission process to entry-level classes under the Economically Weaker Section(EWS)/Disadvantaged Groups(DG) category to around 1,880 Delhi private schools kicked off on Tuesday. At cyber cafes and camps organised by different NGOs, the problems of dealing with the online admission system rose once again. Although supportive of the move to go online, parents wished for a support system.

“I have been trying to get my five-year-old nephew admitted for the past two years but no luck,” said Sunaina Chowdhury who hoped that the third time would be the charm. “There should be a mechanism in place for helping those who fill forms online. Sometimes even after filling forms parents go to schools for queries where they are turned away or treated badly.”

The demand for an effective grievance redressal mechanism or resolution of queries isn’t uncommon. “Though we support the online system, there should be a mechanism for offline submission of forms for those who cannot follow the process,” said Rajiv Kumar from Pardarshita, an NGO that helps parents in the process.

Kumar explained that parents who do not have access to NGOs or anganwadis, which organise camps for filling of forms often turn to cyber cafes which charge anything between ₹150-300. “Often the people at these cyber cafes do not even have an idea about constituencies ,” he said adding that distance from residence is an important factor in EWS admissions.

Sarita Sharma, an anganwadi worker in Khadda colony near Jaitpur, said, “Children belonging to SC/ST communities applying under DG category often do not have caste certificates, and those applying to EWS seats do not have income certificates, which becomes a huge problem for these parents.” Sharma also claimed that some children who were admitted under EWS category last year later had to drop out due to conveyance issues. Several families who spoke to HT said they were concerned over the upper-age limit of five years for entry into nursery.

A fourth of the seats in private schools are reserved for EWS/DG/Children with Disabilities category, as per the RTE Act.

Children of families with annual income less than ₹1 lakh can apply under EWS category. The DG category applicants, include children from SC, ST, OBC, non-creamy layer, physically-challenged, orphan and transgender kids. The last date for submission of online applications is on February 14. While the first computerised draw of lots for children with disability category applicants is scheduled for February 21, the same for EWS/DG category applicants will happen on February 27.

First Published: Jan 16, 2019 15:51 IST