No interviews needed in KG

Conducting interviews for tiny tots seeking admissions to kindergarten or pre-primary classes, is a totally unfair practice that schools have been adopting for a long time now. The reasons, why this practice is unfair, are:

• 1. Competition for marks/grades has grown to such an extent that it exists not only among students but also among the schools. In this game of oneupmanship, schools try to ’select’ only those students that show the potential to bring glory to the school in a few years time.
• 2. Schools that run on private funding do not wish to ‘waste’ their resources on students who are slow on the uptake or those who would not provide the school with adequate returns on the school’s investment (see point 1)
• 3. Little students have to travel long distances to reach schools just because the school in their neighbourhood refused admission on the basis of an interview. As a result, kids end up travelling during the time that they ought to spend playing or enjoying themselves.
• 4. Schools use the interviews as a convenient excuse to ask for donations. Affluent parents can afford to get their kid admitted in schools even though he/she might’ve failed the interview. Not-so-affluent parents have to go looking for other schools for their kids.

I know that the reasons I’ve stated above smack a bit of leftist thinking. But I firmly believe that primary education should be free from monetary and competitive considerations to an extent. Which is why, I am glad to note that the Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Central Government and the National Educational Planning and Administration in connection with a petition seeking a ban on interviews for admission to kindergarten/pre-primary classes.

Now I hope this translates into a ban on such interviews.