In gujarat no interviews, tests for admissions from the nursery-level to Class 8

Come June this year and parents will be a relieved lot. They will not have to worry about high capitation fee, face tests or get interviewed along with their young children when they seek admission to schools.

A resolution issued by Gujarat education department states that these practices will be done away with in the coming academic year.

Not many parents are aware that no schools, including non-grant-in-aid private schools, can charge huge amounts of money in form of donations, school development fees or one time admission fee.
Moreover, the institutions cannot take interviews or entrance tests of children or their parents for admission.

Following the scheduled implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, from the next academic session, the state education department has also stated, in black and white, that from 2011-12 no school will charge any kind of security deposit at the time of admissions in any of the primary education classes.

No primary school can conduct interviews or entrance tests of children or parents or guardians for admission to the primary section.

The government resolution (GR) issued on February 18, 2011 states that the education department covers all schools run by the government, district panchayat education committees, city education committees and grant-in-aid primary education schools as well as non-grant-in-aid schools.

It also covers schools affiliated to other education boards like CBSE, ICSE or of any other medium.

RP Gupta, secretary of the state primary education department said, "There are several things that need clarification for the implementation of RTE. It is not mandatory that schools give admissions either on first-come-first-serve basis or through lottery. These are only examples. Schools can decide their own admission process, but it has to be transparent and fair."

He further said, "Rules for implementation of RTE in the state have not been finalised yet. But one thing is sure is that schools cannot take any kind of interviews or tests of students or their parents for admission right from nursery level or standard 1 to 8."