Admission woes: Fewer seats in draw of lots for general category

CHANDIGARH: While it was cheers for hundreds, thousands of other parents from Tricity faced disappointment as the four 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 (co-ed) — held draw of lots for admission to entry-level classes on Thursday. The schools opened only 320 seats for draw of lots for the general category out of the total 640, against which around 4,500 forms were received.

Last year, 354 seats were offered in draw of lots in general category and in 2017, the number was 341. Under the preferred category, these schools offered seats to siblings, children of staff, management alumni and those from Christian community.


At St John’s High School, for 160 seats in upper kindergarten, nearly 650 applications were received but 91 were offered to public and 47 went to the preferred category. The remaining were given to economically-weaker section students.

The school’s spokesperson said, “We admit EWS children in a lower class and then merge them with the mainstream in UKG. So, 22 seats will be offered to these children.”

At Sacred Heart School, nearly 1,000 forms were received against 160 seats. However, more seats than last year were opened for draw of lots (99) and 61 were reserved for preferred category. Last year, only 86 were open to general public and 74 were given to alumni siblings and others.

At Carmel Convent, around 1,200 forms were received against 120 seats. This year 50 seats were opened for draw of lots and 70 were given to preferred category, while last year the figures were 55 and 65, respectively.

At St Anne’s, around 2,000 forms were received for 200 seats as this is the only co-ed missionary school out of four. Out of 200 seats, only 80 (32 boys and 48 girls) were open for public, while last year 100 were open for general category. They had a separate draw for sibling category in which they offered 32 seats to boys and 25 to girls. Last year, 30 seats were given to siblings (15 each to girls and boys). Rest of the seats (63) were kept for EWS students and others from preferred category.

Schools had stated in the forms that they would first give seats to preferred lot, including Christians, siblings, wards of alumni, staff and management. However, none of the schools, except St Anne’s, gave break up of seats offered under various categories.

Family trouble

At St Anne’s, twins made it to the draw. But at Sacred Heart School, one of the twin sisters got lucky and the other did not. The school authorities suggested that parents should meet the principal. “We have come from Bathinda for admission as we do not want our children to study in Punjab due to drugs and other crimes,” the twins’ grandfather, not willing to be named, said.