BENGALURU: A few schools in the city have allegedly conducted entrance tests for nursery and Class 1 seats. This despite the fact that conducting tests or interviews for school admissions is banned under Right to Education Act.
The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has received complaints from parents in this regard and have issued notices to the schools.
In the complaint, a copy of which is with Express, parents wrote, “Some schools in Bangalore city are conducting entrance examination for first standard student.
As per my understanding, schools shouldn’t conduct any entrance test for lower primary classes. Kindly take necessary action against the schools who conduct entrance test for lower primary classes.”
The complaint also mentioned names of two elite schools. “I was looking for admissions for my children aged 6 and 4. I visited two schools in Whitefield. Both asked my kids to take entrance tests and requested to attend the interview,” said a parent. Authorities of the commission have now issued notices to the schools seeking an explanation.
This is not the first time schools in the city have conducted entrance tests or interviews. “Most schools do this. But very few parents oppose it or raise their voice against this,” said a commission member.
According to school authorities, interviews don’t strictly mean question and answer. The principal of a top school in South Bengaluru said, “It is just to test the basic knowledge of kids, to judge if they can be admitted to that class or not. There is no interview. We may ask them to identify colours, fruits, animals etc.”
Representatives of private school associations too have opposed interviews.
Mansoor Ali Khan, who represents the association of CBSE schools and is a board member of Delhi Public School, said, “Schools should not conduct any sort of interviews up to Class 6. It is illogical.”