Delhi nursery admissions process to begin on Dec 15, here`s everything you need to know

The process of nursery admissions in nearly 1,800 private schools across the national capital will begin from Wednesday, and the application window is scheduled to close on January 7. The Directorate of Education (DoE) had last month notified the admission schedule.

The admission to entry-level classes for the previous academic session began in February this year after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this year, the schedule is in line with previous years.

As per the notified schedule, the first list of selected children will be put up on February 4, followed by a second list on February 21 and a subsequent list for admission, if any, on March 15. The entire admission process will conclude on March 31.

"No deviation from the above schedule shall be permitted. Each school shall display the aforesaid admission schedule on its notice board and website. Further, each school shall ensure that application forms for admission are made available to all applicants till the last date of submission. A non-refundable amount of only Rs 25 can be charged as admission registration fee. The purchase of prospectus of the school by the parents shall be optional," a senior DoE official said.

Schools were asked to notify their number of seats and the admission criteria by Tuesday.

The DoE has directed that the number of seats at the entry levels shall not be less than the highest number of seats in entry-level classes during the last three years-- 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22.

"Schools shall develop and adopt criteria for admission which shall be fair, reasonable, well defined, equitable, non-discriminatory, unambiguous and transparent. No school shall adopt a criterion abolished by the department including charging a capitation fees or donations. Pre-schools or montessori schools run by registered societies or Trusts as branches of recognised unaided schools will have to follow single admission process for their pre-school and main school considering them as one institution," the official said.

A monitoring cell is being constituted in each district under the chairmanship of the deputy director concerned, who shall ensure that each private school uploads the criteria and their points on the online module and further, ensure that the school shall not adopt those criteria which were abolished by the department and upheld by the Delhi High Court.

"We welcome the decision of the government for starting the nursery admission process from tomorrow. Parents must be given a fair opportunity to choose the best school as per the needs of their child. Moreover, preschool education lays the foundation which aims at holistic development of a child's physical, social, emotional, cognitive and creative needs. It will be a sigh of relief to parents as schools will be able to provide a congenial environment to children to explore, learn and grow when physically present in the school," said Sumedha Goel, director of The Shri Ram Wonder Years, Rohini.

"Till the time schools are closed, learning process of the children will continue to be in online mode. With the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, cases are rising each day, and it has triggered concerns nationwide. Keeping the same in mind, it is imperative for parents to get children enrolled so as to bridge the learning gaps due to schools being closed," she added.

Veena Goel, principal of Apeejay School, Pitampura said, "We are all excited and with renewed zest and vigour, we wait for the new pre-nursery batch. We are already planning ahead with blended learning at the top of the pedestal. We are creating an ecosystem for an appropriate amalgamation of activities beautifully woven at home and in school along with maintaining a strong parent-school partnership".