Pvt schools start admission process; parents awaiting DPI notification confused

Mysuru: It appears as though officials of the department of public instruction (DPI) and management of private schools make a New Year’s resolution to remain at loggerheads. There could possibly be no other explanation for the debate over fee structures of private schools in the city being reignited without fail every year as one academic year draws to a close, and the beginning of another is round the corner. Although the DPI is yet to officially notify the fee structure for private schools for the 2019-20 academic year, but many schools, particularly those affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), have already started the admission process, which has left parents a worried, and an infuriated lot. While they are keen to get their children admitted to schools of repute, the lack of clarity on fee structure has meant that they now have to endure an agonising wait, mulling over their choices – whether to wait for admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act or admit their wards to schools immediately. However, managements of private schools have justified their decision, stating that this was a common practice.
The problem erupted after a few schools in the city called for admissions on New Year’s Day for the 2019-20 academic year. In many cases, the last date for admissions to classes I and nursery classes is January 25 (Friday).

Vinoda Rao, a Vijayanagar resident, told TOI that most of the CBSE and ICSE schools in the area had started admissions. “The applications for these schools cost Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. These schools have very few seats, and we are all confused about what to do now. To questions about DPI validating their fee structure, their response is to withhold the application. But, we are just standing in queues and patiently waiting to buy applications,” Vinoda said.

A senior official in the DPI confirmed to TOI that they had received several complaints about private schools having commenced admission processes without obtaining the requisite approval from the authorities concerned. “We generally issue warnings to these schools, but private institutions do not seem too concerned about them. This problem will last till the state government notifies a calendar of events, mandating its adherence by all institutions,” he added.

Mysuru district representative for the Karnataka Associated Management of English Medium Schools (KAMS) Santosh Kumar justified the decision by private schools to start admissions before a government notification, pointing out that far too many nursery and pre-nursery institutions had mushroomed in the city, prompting them to advance the process to the start of the year. “Many schools in Mysuru city started admission process on January 1 for the upcoming academic year,” Kumar said.