The admission process to pre-primary and primary section in schools of all education boards across the state has been put on hold, with the state issuing a notification asking them to follow a common admission schedule that will be released by month-end. The notification states that the admission process can start only two months before schools reopen for the new academic year.

The state directorate of primary education issued a notification recently stating that the common admission schedule will be released by December end. The notification was issued in view of several schools starting the admission process from October, and in some cases even September.

State director of education, Mahavir Mane said, “Until now, schools had been given the liberty to conduct their own admission procedures for seats other than 25 % reserved for economically weaker sections of the society as per the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act. However, it has been a practice for several years that school start the procedure way ahead of the academic year. The new admission schedule will bring about uniformity in the admission procedure.”

The directorate of education issued a notice on November 22 to education officers across the state directing them to stop any ongoing admissions in schools or even distribution of application forms. The common schedule applies for admissions to all pre-primary and primary schools, but not standalone kindergartens. “We have directed the officers to ensure that the procedure is stayed with immediate effect. The common admission schedule will be released and schools will have to follow it,” Mane said.

Explaining the reason for the new rule, Mane said, “When the academic year begins in June, there is no reason why admissions should start in September or October. Seeking application forms and allotting admissions does not take more than 45 days and hence it can begin two months before the new session starts.”

Earlier, the state education department has announced that admissions under RTE will be conducted online and in a centralised manner two months before new academic year begins.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Schools-in-Maharashtra-to-follow-uniform-admission-process/articleshow/26872066.cms