'No student must be failed up to Class X'

The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration has said that no student should be failed up to Class X.

"At the tender age, children should not be subjected to a rat-race and such a competitive process can be avoided only by ensuring that no student is ever failed in any class up to and inclusive of the 10th," NIEPA Registrar P R R Nair said in an affidavit filed before the Delhi high court.

He flayed the admission procedures adopted by schools in Delhi. "At present the methods adopted by various recognised aided and unaided schools in Delhi for selecting children for admission leave much to be desired."

The affidavit has been filed in response to the court's request for assistance from all bodies, individuals and schools interested in the matter.

The HC is hearing a petition filed by three parents challenging a single bench judgement of the same court, which had on January 12 rejected the plea to ban interviewing of children and their parents.

Earlier, a Public Study Group on Central Advisory Board of Education Committees had suggested that schools should decide admissions through a transparent draw of lots.

But in an affidavit filed in the court, the Delhi Public School Society had opposed the idea saying education should not be compared to or made to appear like a housing scheme or lottery.