Enrolment in private schools of Haryana down 7.24 lakh in 2 sessions

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, August 28

Private schools in the state have witnessed a major decline of 7.24 lakh in enrolment in the past two academic sessions.

The school owners blamed the Covid pandemic for the situation stating that the majority of students have shifted to government schools where fee is nominal.

Sources said a total of 30.81 lakh students till Class XII were enrolled in private schools in academic session 2019-20. The figure has reduced to 23.57 lakh in the current session. Though the admission process is still underway, the private schools don’t have much expectation about the rise in the number of admissions.

FEAR OF THIRD WAVE

Covid has taken toll on the earnings of private job holders and businessmen. Many others don’t want to pay following apprehension of the third wave of Covid. So, they have shifted their wards to government schools. — Rishi Raj Ninania, private school owner

“Initially, the adverse effect of the Covid pandemic after the first wave was witnessed in the academic session of 2020-21 when the schools registered 29.83 lakh enrolments leading to a drop of 98,179 students. The current academic session (2021-22) has recorded a major drop with 6.26 lakh more students leaving private schools,” said sources.

Rishi Raj Ninania, a private school owner, said the Covid pandemic had hit private schools hard as many schools had reached the verge of closure following the declining trend of admissions in the past two sessions.

“Covid has also taken toll on the earnings of private job holders and businessmen. Hence, many of them are facing issues in paying fee of private schools. Many others don’t want to pay following apprehension of the third wave of Covid. So, they have shifted their wards to government schools,” he claimed.

Sources said the number of enrolments was likely to go up considerably as many private schools had not yet updated their students’ strength at the government portal.

Dr Sudharshan Panwar, Nodal Officer, Model Sanskriti Schools, Jhajjar, said opening of around 115 new Government Model Sanskriti Senior Secondary Schools (English medium) in the state was also one of the major factors behind the drop in enrolment at private schools as their students in good numbers had got admissions in such schools.

Session Enrolment

2019-20 30,81,311

2020-21 29,83,132

2021-22 23,57,081