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New system: A new centralised regime for admissions is on the anvil.

Higher secondary school admissions in the State have come into sharp focus, as the single-window system is being introduced in all districts this year.

The centralised allotment process for the Plus One course will be binding on all seats in government schools and merit seats in aided management schools.

Whether the Kerala High Court allows the State government to go ahead with it or not, the system has triggered widespread discussions.

Despite some quarters opposing it, the system has been welcomed especially in the backward districts of the Malabar region, which have more applicants than seats.

The government chose to extend the system in all districts following its pilot implementation in Thiruvananthapuram last year. Critics allege shortfalls, but the advantages may outweigh these.

In Malappuram, thousands of qualified students did not get higher secondary admission in schools last year. The system may mitigate the problem.

The worries of managements are addressed to an extent by excluding their quota of seats from the centralised admission.

Accordingly, the managements of minority institutions can fill 40 per cent of the seats on their own. Other managements will have claim over 30 per cent.

In a government school, all the seats will be filled through the single-window system — 59 per cent for open merit applicants; 8 per cent for students belonging to the Ezhava caste; 7 per cent for Muslims; 2 per cent for Latin Catholics; 1 per cent for other backward Christians; 3 per cent for other backward Hindus; 12 per cent for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes; and 8 per cent for those from the Scheduled Tribes.

“The new system will ease the principals of government schools of lots of troubles,” says H. Zainuddin, convener of the All-Kerala Higher Secondary School Principals’ Forum. It will eliminate all kinds of interferences from parent-teacher associations and local bodies, he adds.

The school staff feel that their admission work will be reduced.

P.M. Rajeev, Joint Director of Higher Secondary Education, says the system has been introduced to make Plus One admissions transparent and effective.

Till last year, a candidate seeking admission had to apply in several schools. Now, he or she can explore options in all government and aided schools in the district by submitting one application.

Nearly 60 preferences of school and subject combinations can be marked on the application. The applicant can then submit it at any school of his or her choice. This will help to save money, time, effort and tension.

For the students of Malappuram, for example, submitting an application in less-crowded districts such as Idukki or Pathanamthitta can open chances of admission.

Schools receiving the applications should upload the data to the web site of the Higher Secondary Education Directorate, which publishes the selection list on the site. Re-allotments will be done for unfilled seats. Students who get admissions on their lower options can wait for re-allotment or cancel their higher options. Admissions of those cancelling higher options will be confirmed. The fee will be accepted only on confirmation of the admissions.

Education Minister M.A. Baby says the system will eliminate complaints about schools not following the admission guidelines.

By checking the Net, the applicants can get to know their positions. However, a criticism raised against it is the cost involved in checking the Internet frequently. Mr. Zainuddin says each time a student goes on the Net, it costs Rs. 20, and for a printout of the allotment, another Rs. 10 has to be spent. “For poor students, it will be a burden,” he says.

Mr. Zainuddin says another shortfall is that only temporary admission can be given initially. “This may lead to some uncertainties and confusion among students,” he says.

The biggest drawback pointed out is that students will be deprived of chances to study in the schools of their choice. But, at the same time, the system can reduce concentration of good students in urban and semi-urban places such as Thrissur and Manjeri, says K. Jabir, leader of the Students’ Islamic Organisation.

“In places such as Thrissur and Manjeri, where quality entrance coaching is being offered, we find a high concentration of students who topped the SSLC examinations. This may not continue to be the same once the single window is introduced,” Mr. Jabir says.

He says that the system will ease the students of tension considerably. Till now, even good students used to be waitlisted for higher secondary admissions, as most students invariably applied in five or six schools each. The single window will eliminate this phenomenon, Mr. Jabir says.

The applicants will no longer have to send representatives to all schools at the same time to ensure selection. They will no longer lose their fee if they change schools or options.

Till now, one school was considered a unit for higher secondary admission. The new system has the district as the unit.

However, those seeking admission under the management quota should apply in separate forms. The new system will no way affect allotment of management seats.

However, school managements fear that the centralised process will take away all good students, and a lot of confusion will be created for the filling of management seats.

They, however, do not talk of the money they lose. People point out that some managements used to collect up to Rs. 25,000 for a seat, particularly in Malappuram district. The new system is expected to upset the calculations of many. There will certainly be uncertainties in the management quota, Mr. Zainuddin says.

There were allegations in the past of selling the management seats even twice. It may not be possible any longer. “Perhaps, that is what the government is ultimately targeting,” says a person taking keen interest in education, who chose to remain anonymous.

Mr. Baby says the new system will end the practice of capitation fee and ensure adherence to reservation norms. He has denied the allegations that it will usurp the rights of school managements, that the students will be put to great hardships and there will be a delay in completing the admission process.

“These are baseless,” the Minister says.

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