Parents brace for the great seat race

Charu Chhibber

Chandigarh, January 15

For most parents in the city, securing a seat in an entry-level class in a private school, especially in those among the top 10, is akin to waging a war. And with the schools set to display their lists of eligible candidates on the notice board as well on the official websites tomorrow, the war to capture the coveted seat in the “best school” is nearing its climax.

Some parents share their experiences with Chandigarh Tribune as to what it takes to get an entry-level seat in a city school.

“In order to get their wards admitted to a good school, parents not only go through a roller-coaster personally but socially, financially, mentally and psychologically as well. I have applied to 11 schools this year as last year, my daughter could not get through the three that we had applied to,” says Sharda Sharma, a mother of two.

Another parent, Ridhima Kanwar, adds, “I have applied to eight schools and trust me, it has been draining – physically as well as mentally.”

She goes on to add, “The process requires meticulous planning and execution. Making a priority list of schools, applying to multiple schools, both online and offline; getting documents ready to meet several criteria; personally visiting each school to check finer details and the facilities offered; keeping a plan B ready in case the child doesn’t get a seat in a preferred school; planning ahead if the child gets through multiple schools; exchanging notes 

with other parents; keeping tabs on the ever-changing rules and regulations. The list of admission-related tasks is endless and exhausting. It’s nothing less than winning the battle of Mahabharta.”

And these are just procedural formalities. Educationists concede that parents make many more sacrifices.

“I have known parents who have shifted from one locality to another so that their place of residence is close to the school of their choice. There are others who move to better localities to maintain higher rank on the neighbourhood criteria. Some parents even move to the city from other cities to find better educational opportunities for their children. Getting good education for your ward is certainly not easy,” says Renuka Dhammi, a retired schoolteacher.

Another former teacher, Anuradha Guglani, adds, “Some people even drop a year to wait for a seat in a preferred school. Some admit their child to a school and withdraw admission the next year so that they can shift their ward to a better school. The amount of planning and work parents do is mindboggling.”