The early bird gets LKG seat

HUBLI: Padmaja Kumar's dates are already marked out. Her daughter is yet to join kindergarten but she's already worked up over the admission process. "I have taken an application form from a reputed school. Some others have told me to go to them after January 15," she says.
Kumar isn't your typical 'helicopter parent' but she says she has no other go."Now, we have to apply as early as possible to ensure that our children get admission in reputed schools," she contends.
There are over three months to go for the next academic session but parents in the twin cities have already begun queuing up at private schools to get application forms for LKG and class I.
There are around 332 aided and unaided private schools in Hubli-Dharwad, whose admission process usually begins in March-April. But several school authorities claim that to stay ahead in the admission race, parents have started approaching them for application forms for LKG and class I.
The demand is so huge that not only have some schools already run out of application forms, but the average admission fee has also gone up to Rs 15,000-20,000. Some schools are allegedly asking for more to provide transportation, uniforms and textbooks.
A staff member of KLE Society's M R Sakhare English Medium School in Hubli says they began issuing application forms this month. "On an average, 10-12 people come to the school every day to enquire about LKG admissions and to collect application forms."
M S Patil, headmaster of Rotary Kannada Medium School, says some parents approached his school authorities seeking early admission. "We started accepting applications under the Right to Education Act this month. We will begin issuing applications for LKG under the general quota soon."
Sanskaar English Medium School, Smt Nirmala Thakkar English Medium School, V S Pillay English Medium School and some schools in Dharwad are planning to begin issuing application forms for LKG and class I from Wednesday.