Recommendations put Gurukul staff in fix

​Hyderabad: Selection of students through entrance tests for admissions to BC residential schools seems to have become a tricky affair for officials concerned as they are flooded with recommendation calls from MLAs and political leaders in the State.

According to sources, the number of phones and recommendations for admission from leaders of all parties are going up since the starting of 119 Jyothiba Phule Gurukul Schools for BCs on June 12.

Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official pointed out that the officials concerned at district and state level had been finding it tough to cope up with the requests for seats in the BC residential schools.

As there are directions from the government to fill the seats on the basis of the entrance exam and every stage of the process from the time of applying for entrance test to admission has been recorded online, leaving no scope for the officials to intervene.

“But, if the district level officials are not able to do favour for leaders, then, the pressure is falling on the senior officials at the commissionerate, “he added. Giving details of the growing attraction to the new schools, the official said in some places the new schools started in the same buildings where earlier corporate schools like Narayana and others operated. Secondly, the new schools offer not only English medium but also the Central syllabus on par with the corporate schools.

Further, it relieves parents from the financial burden. In many cases, parents are opting out from taking admission in private schools and some who are already studying in those schools want to shift their wards to the BC residential schools resulting in the growing demand for admissions. Further, once the student gets admission in the new schools, they can continue till X standard and the government had already announced adding higher sections starting from the next academic year.

The total target during the current academic year is to take 41,000 students in 119 schools but demand is more. This is further adding to the woes of officials in conceding the demands of the leaders. Because, the BC Gurukul Schools is announced as a prestigious scheme of the government and any shortcomings and allegations of irregularities would land them in trouble.

Following this, the officials are asking those coming with recommendations to wait until the admission process is over to accommodate left over seats or those fall vacant when students choose to shifting from one school to another.

Meanwhile, the schools are yet to cross the teething problems like providing blackboards, furniture and the like for the newly-started schools in the rented buildings. Clarifying on this, officials from the BC Welfare Department said orders had been placed long ago and all necessary infrastructures would reach the schools before the starting of classes.