Govt bans screening tests for nursery admissions

 
This is the first year when admission is supposed to be on the basis of the newly-enacted Right to Education Act.

“Section 13(1) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009 provides, that while admitting a child, no school or person shall subject the child or his/her parents to any ‘screening procedure,” the HRD Ministry said in its guidelines. 

“Section 2(o) of the RTE Act defines the term ‘screening procedure’ to mean the ‘method of selection for admission of a child, in preference over another, other than a random method,” it said.

It also reminded the unaided schools that they should admit at least 25 per cent of the strength of class I, children belonging to disadvantaged groups from the neighbourhood and provide them free education till completion of elementary education.

Further, where the school admits children at the pre-primary level, such admissions shall be made at that level.

The guidelines described the admission tests and interviews as ‘a tool for profiling and eliminating children,’ and prohibited screening to assess a child’s intelligence.