The Education Ministry has scrapped quotas in several categories including that of Member of Parliament (MP) and District Magistrate (DM) for admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas, according to the latest circular issued by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).
Earlier, the KVS had put on hold all discretionary quotas, including the MP quota, for admissions to KV schools across the country, following a review.
“In a revolutionary step to streamline admissions in Kendriya Vidyalas and improve the quality of education, it has been decided to discontinue several discretionary quotas which were beyond the approved students’ strength,” government sources told news agency.
Recently, a review of KVS functioning was carried out by the Education Minister and Chairman KVS Dharmendra Pradhan in which it was observed that these quotas crowd the classrooms, adversely affecting the Pupil-Teacher ratio and the quality of teaching-learning, sources said.
The government official further informed that the discretionary quotas had also distorted the overall percentage of SC/ST/OBC reservations in the schools.
“Keeping all these factors in mind, the decision has been taken to discontinue discretionary quotas of the Ministry of Education, Sponsoring Agency, MPs, etc. There was a long practice of recommending students by the Minister of Education, but the same has been discontinued,” the sources stated.
According to the official, it shall be noted that even in 2021-22, the education minister did not recommend a single admission under his quota and the provision of recommending up to ten cases by each MP is also discontinued.
Moreover, there were provisions of thousands of admissions under quotas of sponsoring agencies and Chairpersons Vidyala Management Committees, that is, District Collectors, which have now also been discontinued, sources said adding that it will free up about 40,000 seats in KVs across the country.
Meanwhile, a KV official also informed that the provision of admission under quota will still continue for some categories including single girl children, orphaned kids, etc.
“The provision of admissions will continue for a single girl child and those orphaned due to COVID under PM CARES Children scheme. A small number of discretionary quotas for wards of Kashmiri migrants, paramilitary forces, intelligence agencies, etc. still continue. Moreover, children of serving employees of KVs, meritorious children in fine arts, sports, recipients of bravery awards, etc. shall also continue to be provided admission under discretionary quota. Even these quotas will be implemented at the local level only, after careful examinations of relevant documents by school principals,” the KV official told news agency.
The KV official also said these steps will ensure that KVs become the finest schools, which will impart quality education as per the mandate of the National Education Policy 2020.