Schools of Eminence: Students, parents in limbo over entrance test results

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, April 6

More than 1,200 students appeared for an entrance test on March 19 to secure a place in one of the nine Schools of Eminence (SOE) in the district. Since then, 15 days have elapsed and the new academic session has begun, but students are yet to receive any information about the result.

Moreover, the students and their parents are perplexed about the functioning of these schools. Although the state government launched SOEs with great pomp, the reality on the ground is different.

Gurwinder Singh, a parent, says SOEs were initially reserved for students in Classes IX, X, XI, and XII. However, the recent orders suggest that students in Classes VII and VIII may also enroll if the schools have adequate infrastructure. “It appears that the Education Department itself is confused, or the SOEs exist only on paper,” he added.

Kanwalpreet Kaur, another parent, said SOEs had promised state-of-the-art infrastructure, labs, sports facilities, and hi-tech classrooms, among other amenities. However, in reality, nothing had changed in the schools thus far. Kanwalpreet claimed that the government should have launched the flagship programme after making proper arrangements in these schools.

She further said that she had recently visited an SOE in her constituency, but the principal was unable to provide any authentic information about the admission process or when the facilities promised at SOEs would be available.

Many parents feel that the government launched the project in a haphazard manner without proper planning. The students who appeared for the test shared similar concerns.

Manmeet Kaur (name changed), who is due to enroll in Class IX, has already started attending classes at her old school as she is unaware of the number of students that will be allowed to enroll in the SOEs or what criteria for selection will be followed. “If I get into an SOE, the classes I am attending now will be of no use as I have to start my new session all over again,” she said.

When a few officials from the District Education Department were contacted, they said the results would be out soon. When asked about the functioning of SOEs, they stated that the students in the registration form had mentioned the school they want to get into and if they cleared the test, they might get admission in the same school.

About the redevelopment of the schools, the officials said that the state government had already started converting selected schools into SOE in Amritsar, and the PWD department had started surveying schools in the district, and it is expected that the work may start soon.