Admission season take off 6 months in advance with early bird offers

Bengaluru: It's just Sept, but the admissions for the next academic year, which usually begins in June, has kicked off in many private schools in the city. As some of the private schools scramble for students, they are also sweetening the offers, with many of them promising fee waivers for early admissions.
In the early bird offers, schools promise the parents that the admission fees will be waived if they confirm the admission within a deadline.The admission fees could range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 in these schools. Several schools also offer sibling discounts and scholarships to attract students. "The number of schools is growing, but with most peoples adhering to the single child norm, the demand is dwindling. Schools are competing with each other to make admissions, forcing many to use such marketing tactics," said D Shashi Kumar, secretary of the Association of Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka (KAMS).
"Sometimes, these marketing tactics become unethical. There are schools that take data of parents from the education department officials. Their marketing offices start making calls to the parents and even visit them at their homes to make admissions," he said. Since the department of school education and literacy releases an academic calendar by March for admissions, most schools that are taking admissions are now calling it registrations, he added.
"The number of private schools has surged. Even established schools have started several franchises. The competition has increased. The private sector thrives well with competition. Schools involve huge investment and management needs to find returns. A school is usually judged by the exam results. With the new schools having no such records available with them, the easiest way to make a mark in the market is the concessions and freebies they can offer. Once they stabilise, they will withdraw them," said A S Seetharamu, former professor at the Institute for Social and Economic Change.
"The need for recommendations and waitlists are features of only a few elite schools in the city. There is also another spectrum of schools where we are welcomed grandly, provided school tours, patiently listened to, doubts clarified and even offered a glimpse into classrooms. The admissions office literally rolls out a red carpet," said a parent.
Voice of Parents, an association of parents, has called out the schools taking fees under various nomenclatures. "Schools flout Recognition Condition No. 5, which prohibits the collection of capitation fees or voluntary donations from parents during admission or throughout the academic year. Despite numerous representations from parents, the govt has failed to take any action. The inaction of the govt has emboldened other schools to follow suit, severely impacting parents and children. It is imperative that the govt takes concrete steps to enforce the rules and regulations, ensuring a fair and transparent admission process for all," said Sijo Sebastian, joint secretary, VOP.