Beggars cannot be choosers:LKG admissions

I had blogged about LKG admission earlier Admission time: Is raat ki Subh Kabhi & my ending lines were “Hope all their dreams of getting admissions are fulfilled”
Mine was not fulfilled as in all the FOUR schools I had applied; I did not find my daughters name in the list of selected candidates.

I have seen this admission process since the beginning, from getting the forms to submitting them and then that waiting time for the result. I failed, my second failure in life (my first was in 3rd Std. in Maths).

In the earlier post, I had mentioned about area wise selection of students but I guess this norm was not 100% utilized. In DP student in Hindwadi did not get admission where as one living in Mahadwar Road got.

There are some points I would like to the young parents who will have to go through this next year.

1. Apply in all schools, if you are looking for English medium, then all English medium schools, when I mean all, I mean ALL. St.Pauls, Xaviers, Marys, Herwadkar, Mahila Vidyalaya etc.
2. When you apply start finding some influence or a person who could recommend your child’s name to the managing committee even before you submit the form.
3. When the lists are out and you don’t find your name in the list try hard again and again for some more influence and of course be prepared to shell out more bucks.
4. Even after all this you don’t find your luck, search for some other school.
5. Even if you are there in the list the donations could hold you back, so be prepared to spend a lot, when I mean lot, I mean LOTS n lots on money.

Some donations paid are at a all time high just like inflation. St.Pauls, I have heard people paid 50 thousand and above that, these are a selected lot of 25-30 people others will be less as still the list is to be declared. In schools wherein you name is not there in the list you can pay a minimum 30 thousand or more and influence of course to get the child admitted. This time the English medium schools had greater demand as the vernacular schools (predominantly non–Kanada) were banned by the Karnatak government for not teaching in Kannada. Many schools had taken permission saying they would teach Kannada but switched to teaching in English. Having received this ban, these schools appealed to the court but unfortunately the court refrained them from teaching in any other language other than the one they applied for.
In these schools a flat rate of 10 thousand prevailed till yesterday which might go up with time. I believe, as you don’t have long queues and you take the form fill it pay money and your child is admitted; to face the competitive world. It is said the world is very competitive, hey friends the world is competitive from the day the child is born.

After all deliberations I have settled for an ICSE applied school by paying a part amount of the donation. I am trying the other tricks I told you above to see if I can put my daughter through those so-called very good schools. If nothing happens I am happy with the school I applied for, after all ‘Beggars cannot be choosers’.

Protest planned against donation menace in schools

Source: The Hindu, Staff Correspondent Belgaum
Many government-aided schools collecting donations: KRV leader
Parents will also participate in the demonstration

‘Government should ensure transparency in admission process’

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) will hold a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday to protest against “donation menace” in English-medium schools in Belgaum city.

Parents will also participate in the demonstration, KRV district unit president Rajeev Topannavar said here on Sunday.
He said that many government-aided schools in the city were illegally collecting donations ranging up to Rs. 50,000 for admission to pre-primary and primary classes. Despite the State Government’s direction to Deputy Directors of Public Instruction to ensure that no school collected donations, no steps had been taken to check the menace, he said.
Donations were being collected in the name of third party to avoid action from the Government, Mr. Topannavar said.

The Government should either ensure that there was transparency in the admission process or take over the schools that were collecting donations, he added. K.U. Kumar, a parent told The Hindu on Sunday that some schools were demanding a minimum donation of Rs. 15,000 besides recommendation by influential persons for admission to LKG. The maximum donation being demanded was about Rs. 40,000, he said. The donation menace was rampant in English-medium schools, he said and added that some schools had increased the donation amount this year and were collecting it in the name of third party. In addition, the schools were collecting money for expansion fund and poor student fund which would add up to more than the tuition fee fixed by the Government.

Dyanoba B.P., a parent, said that providing education had become a business now days. “Private managements (including those of aided institutions) have converted the education system into a profit-earning venture as there is no one to control them,” he said.

Admission time: Is raat ki Subh Kabhi

Its that time of the year when all young parents will be praying and hoping to get their kids admitted to a school of their choice, if they are lucky or into any school otherwise.

Many parents start the school rounds (not those rounds during lunch break you used to take when you were in school) from January month itself just to know when the forms will be given for Jr.KG. As time passes by the blood pressure of the parents start to rise for no reason. Some might even think getting a baby born or delivering a baby was not so terrible.

This year February came and still the schools had not decided when the admission process would begin. Parents used to visit all the probable schools they could and check when the forms would be given.

March arrived and still the school authorities were uncertain about the dates. Some schools said by March 15 something will be made clear and yes at last the dates were out. I have seen happy faces when they just read the dates of the admission process on the board. But friends this is just the start.

Herwadkar School started the admission process on 18-03-2008. And in the morning there were about 200 parents lined in to get forms even before the school gates were opened. I had been there also and decided that I would try my luck the next day but luckily in the afternoon, just to see how much the rush is I went in and to my surprise the queue was very small only 30 parents and I said this is the time to get a form at least and make a Shri Ganesha. I got the forms in about 20 minutes and to tell you I wasn’t happy like this in my life not even when I passed my SSLC in distinction. Now I got the forms, from here the other story, fill the form submit it. Then the forms will be scrutinized and a list will be put and if my daughters name comes in it, wow my life has become fruitful. Not as easy as said. After the list is put up, there will be a parent’s interview and what I will be asked is quite clear, how much? Now that the biggest Q. How much? (All know how much in what context) Lets see cant say now until I have been there. Past experienced parents do help out with their experience.

The forms for Divine Providence and St.Joeshps Convent will be given form the 1st april to 3rd april. Last year scenes at the convent in camp were dreadful. Parents lined up at 9 pm in the previous night it self just to get the forms, leave admission aside, just forms. So this time special instructions have been put up for the same. See in the photo.

This time areas have been specified so if you don’t fall in those areas you might not be getting a seat I guess. See the photo for details.

I hope I get my daughter admitted to a school and my blood pressure comes down….

I wrote this post only as I thought many of those young parents, grand parents reading this might just feel, hey it's my story.
Hope all their dreams of getting admissions are fulfilled.