BENGALURU: Barely a month after schools were reopened post the annual Dasara vacation, several private schools in the city, irrespective of which board they are following, have already started their admission process for the next academic year (2019-20) for Class 1. This is in violation with the policy on Karnataka Educational Institutions (Regulation of Certain Fees and Donations) (Amendment) Rules 2018, which has been in force mandating the schools to stick to the calendar of events released by the Department of Public Instruction for admission.
The issue has gone viral on social media platforms, where parents have formed groups alleging that schools are charging up to `1,000 as fee per application form without confirming a seat.
This reporter from The New Indian Express visited some schools on Friday posing as a parent seeking admission and was shocked to learn that some schools have even closed the admission process for the next academic year.
Authorities of one such school located in South Bengaluru, offering both CBSE and ICSE syllabus, said, “You are too late. We have already finished issuing applications for the next academic year and seats will also be announced soon.”
Another prime school, also located in Bengaluru South, issued the application form, but said they cannot assure a seat as they have already received application forms in excess of the seats available. “We cannot assure you the seat. We are already flooded with applications. You will have to try your luck. If someone surrenders their seat, you may get a chance,” said a front office staff member.
So blatant is this malpractice in the background of the sheer lack of regulation or enforcement of rules that some schools have even dared to publish their commencement of admission process for academic year 2019-20 on their official websites without fear of reprisals.
Shilpa Prashanth, a South Bengaluru parent said, “I was looking for admission of my son at one of the prime schools in our locality, but I was surprised to hear that I was too late. Although I approached them in mid-October, the school had already closed the admission process.”
Another parent said, “I took applications for my son from three main schools in West Bengaluru, but of the three, one school said they cannot promise a seat, while another demanded full payment of fees up front, now itself. So, I have decided to wait for communication from the third school.”
Moreover, some of the schools which are confirming the seats while collecting advance fees to block the seats, are refraining from giving a receipt to the parents in return for the payment. “We have to agree at the risk of losing the amount as the schools are not giving receipts. But, as it is hard to get seats in these schools, we are being forced to agree and accept whatever the conditions laid down by the schools,” said one desperate parent.
Paying heavy price for education
Scared to file plaint
Although the District Education Regulatory Authority (DERA) is active, parents do not dare to file complaints as they are worried that such an act would affect their child’s prospects in getting a seat
WHAT THE RULE SAYS
According to the Karnataka Education Act, the schools established in the state are not allowed to start admissions for the next academic year until the state department of public instructions releases the calendar of events
Normally, the calendar is released in the end of April or first week of May
It can be recalled that when Tanveer Sait was the primary and secondary education minister, he had directed his department officials to quash all such “early admissions” and declare them illegal