Schools divided over admission test order

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 28: The director of school education (DSE) has decided not to hold admission tests for students to Class V from the next academic session. The DSE, Mr D Mukherjee, issued the order on 27 November, 2007 and conveyed the order to all district inspectors of schools (secondary). The government order said the school authorities would have to take admission of all applicants in their school within two km radius. The Malda DI of schools has also circulated the order to all secondary schools. Despite the issuance of the order, secondary school authorities, in both rural and urban areas, are already preparing for the admission tests. The order also stated that in case of a problem of seat constraint, the applicants would be offered admission to the nearest schools based on the address mentioned in their applications. The school authorities are, however, divided on this issue. The secondary school authorities in English Bazaar have decided to go ahead with the admission tests. But the secondary schools along the rural belt will offer admission to all applicants. The principal of Malda RKM’s Vivekananda Vidyamandir, Swami Sumanasananda told reporters: “How can we select 100 students out of 1,000 applicants for Class V without holding an admission test? The government order has been issued without any practical consideration. It is difficult to follow such an order”. The district ABTA president, Mr. Kajal Sarkar, said: “The order may be applicable for the schools in the rural belt but in urban areas the order is impractical”. Sources said schools in rural belt used to hold the admission test to get better students. The schools in rural belt get opportunity to earn more revenue selling the admission form. Reputed schools in rural belt offer admission to nearly 400 students but sell 1,000 admission form.