Admissions start today across Karnataka; schools expect few takers for lower grades

Admissions for lower grades are not expected to cross even 2%

Even as school admissions for 2021-22 academic year starts across the state on Tuesday, private unaided schools expect fewer admissions for lower grades this time.

Several schools have even decided not to conduct admissions for kindergarten for the 2021-22 academic year, considering the zero enrolment for lower grades during the previous academic year.

“It is not easy to engage younger children in online mode of schooling and many parents are not intending to enrol their children to lower grades,” said the principal of a private unaided school in Bengaluru.

As explained by school principals, there were very few queries from parents seeking admissions to lower grades.

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“Though we are starting the admission process for all grades on Tuesday as per the notification issued by the department of public instruction (DPI), we have no hopes about getting children to kindergarten,” said another principal.

D Shashi Kumar, convener of the Karnataka Private School Managements, Teaching and Non-teaching Staff Co-ordination Committee, said that during the 2020-21 academic year, admissions to lower grades were nearly nil.

“Admissions took place for barely 2 per cent to 3 per cent of the seats in kindergarten last year. This year, we are not even expecting it to reach 2%.”

“Not just kindergarten, admissions were slim even for primary level last year,” said Shashi Kumar.