New Delhi, Nov 13 (UNI) The admission process for pre-school (nursery), pre-primary (KG), and Class 1 in private unaided recognized schools for the academic year 2025-26 will begin on 28th November.
As per the Directorate of Education (DoE), applications will remain open until 20th December. The first admission list will be released on 17th January, the second list on 3rd February, and the final process will be completed by 14th March next year.
In an order, the Directorate of Education further directed schools admitting children at entry-level classes to reserve 25% of seats for the Economically Weaker Section, Disadvantaged Group, and children with disabilities.
It also instructed schools to upload information about admissions under open seats at entry-level classes (other than EWS/DG/CWSN category seats) on the directorate’s website by 25th November 2024 (Monday). Additionally, all schools must ensure that the criterion-wise breakdown of points for all applicants is displayed on their websites, as stated by the directorate.
The order also directed schools to display the admission schedule on their notice boards and websites.
“Further, each school shall ensure that application forms for admission are made available to all applicants until the last date of submission of the admission application form, i.e., 20th December 2024 (Friday),” it said.
“Only Rs. 25/- (non-refundable) can be charged from parents as the admission registration fee. The purchase of the school prospectus by parents shall be optional,” the DoE said.
“As schools shall upload the criteria along with related points for admission, the first list of shortlisted candidates, along with the points earned by them as per their criteria, will be declared on 17th January 2025 (Friday). Ten days, from 18th January 2025 (Saturday) to 27th January 2025 (Monday), have been allocated for schools to answer parents’ queries regarding the points allotted to their ward,” the order read.
“Schools shall have a well-documented mechanism for responding to parents’ queries, either through email or letters, and must maintain details in a register,” it added.
In cases where candidates are tied for a single seat, schools will conduct a lottery. “Draw of lots (either computerized or by slips) must be conducted transparently, with parents present, recorded on video, and retained by the school,” the DoE said.
“The draw of lots, if needed, shall be conducted transparently in the presence of parents. All eligible parents of students involved in the draw of lots will be informed at least two days before the draw date via the website, notice board, and email. The draw of lots will be conducted under videography, and its footage must be retained by the school. The slips will be shown to parents before being placed in the box used for the draw of lots,” it said.
All private unaided recognized schools shall also upload the details of children admitted and those on the waiting list under open seats, along with the marks allotted to them, the DoE said.
The DoE has set age limits as of 31st March: four years for nursery, five for kindergarten, and six for Class 1. Schools have been cautioned against using scrapped criteria like parental education, dual employment, cultural background, food habits, or oral tests, as per the Delhi government’s 2016 guidelines.
