The Centre has put “on hold” admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas under “special provisions”, including quota for Members of Parliament (MPs). The move comes weeks after the government informed Parliament that it would take a decision on the quota system after consultations with MPs. The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Education that runs these schools, communicated the decision to Kendriya Vidyalaya school principals on April 12, The Indian Express reported. In a circular, the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan informed the schools that no admission would be done under the special provisions till further orders.
A Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan official told The Indian Express that the decision was taken as the list of special provisions had grown too long. He, however, said the MP quota had not been scrapped, but put on hold like all the other special provisions.
Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in India admitted 175,261 children through 21 special provisions in the 2021-22 academic session, according to data presented by the Union Ministry of Education in Lok Sabha. This includes 7,301 admissions through MPs’ quota, which allows each MP to recommend 10 cases for admission to Classes I to IX at the start of each session. Under the rules, the 10 names have to be of children whose parents belong to the MP’s constituency.
The Centre introduced the quota system in 1975 as a special dispensation scheme. It had been withdrawn twice in the past before being restored. In 2018-19, 8,164 admissions were made under the MP quota, overshooting the ceiling.
In 2021-22, there were no admissions under the discretionary quota of the Education Minister — one of the special provisions. In 2019-20 and 2020-21, the figures stood at 9,411 and 12,295 admissions, respectively, against a cap of 450.
Successive governments have said the excess admissions distorted the schools’ student-teacher ratio and deprived meritorious students of an opportunity to study in a central school. The MPs’ discretionary power has come under renewed spotlight after Congress MP Manish Tewari raised the issue in Parliament. Tewari said the 10-seat quota was not enough for MPs who receive a large number of applications.
The other special provisions include children, dependent grandchildren of MPs as well as serving and retired Kendriya Vidyalaya employees; children of Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Ashok Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra recipients; National Bravery Award recipients; 100 children of Union Ministry of Education employees; 15 children of employees of the Research & Analysis Wing; children orphaned by Covid-19; children of central government employees who are killed in harness; children with special talent in fine arts.
