Gap year possibility for some kids as incomplete admissions stall schooling

Pune: Shweta Rathi was happy to find the name of her daughter in the early March admission list of the school she wanted.

But lockdown forced a freeze on confirmation of the admission putting Rathi, and several parents like her, in a precarious situation.

Incomplete admissions are a worry for parents. Many are contemplating cancelling them for this year and trying again next year. They reason that half the year has been wasted, and the atmosphere has not turned conducive.

Rahul Kulkarni from Kothrud said his four-year-old son has been admitted to a state board school.

“But I am not sure if I will send him. Half the term will be gone by the time schools re-open and I am concerned about his safety once schools reopen. My wife and I feel it would be wise not to send him to school at all this year,” he said.

Most non-state board schools start admissions by November and the process of inviting applications and announcing the list as well as confirmation of admissions end by February.

The state board schools begin this process by March which has affected parents. School heads said there are massive cancellation of admissions from applications outside Pune.

Principal of Amanora School Meera Nair said there is a certain anxiety among parents who have sought new admissions.

A few have dropped the idea of relocating and have chosen to continue their schooling with the previous school, she said.

“For all those who have decided to continue with us, we have extended all support by providing online classes, orientations and helped them get acclimatized into our system of learning. Regular counseling over phone calls have ironed out teething problems. Admissions are carried out through video conferencing and online interactions,” she added.

Another parent, Vivek Agarwal, said, “We are still waiting for instructions from the school where we secured admission for my daughter. The school website said parents will be notified once they restart the admission process.”

Principal of Akshara International Sonali Balwatkar said their admission process was going on and they had switched to the online mode. Admissions at Acharya Shree Vijay Vallabh School were still open, principal Manasi Marulkar said, while principal of Mansukhbhai Kothari National School Varsha Kokil said they had very few new entrants, this year.