Counselling begins for admission to meritorious schools

LUDHIANA: The counselling for admission to Classes IX and XI in Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students through a centralised process began on Tuesday.The counselling session was scheduled for students under the category of women-headed households; BPL card-holders of private schools affiliated with the Punjab School Education Board; ‘Atta Dal’ scheme card-holders, and specially-abled students.MIS coordinator of the education department Vishal said, “By the end of the day, 71 students comprising 47 girls and 24 boys were screened for admission. The counselling session was also relayed live to maintain transparency.”There are 4,600 seats at 10 meritorious schools in the state and the counselling will continue till July 31. Meritorious School Ludhiana has a total of 500 seats, including 100 for medical stream, 300 for non-medical streams, and 100 for commerce stream. Out of a total of 300 seats in the non-medical stream, 120 are for boys and 180 for girls. In the medical and commerce streams, 40 seats are reserved for boys, and 60 for girls. As many as 18,000 students appeared in the entrance exam and around 9,000 had cleared it.Meritorious school principal Vishwakirat Kahlon said, “After clearing the test, the students have the liberty to opt for any of the 10 schools. As many as 71 students were counselled on Tuesday.”DEO secondary Dimple Madaan, who visited the school to supervise the counselling, said, “The school authorities have put up a help desk to ease the process.”