Guide your students, Maharashtra education department tells CBSE, ICSE schools

The state education department has asked non-state board schools to help their students who wish to seek admissions to first-year junior colleges (FYJC).

Every year, 6-10% of the total applicants for FYJC are from non-state board schools. “Many students from CBSE, ICSE and other boards are keen on joining junior colleges run by the state. While we conduct sessions with heads of these schools every year, it is seen that some students don’t get guidance in their schools. This year, we have told them that it is their responsibility to ensure students are informed about the process,” said Bhaskarrao Babar, assistant director of education, Mumbai region.

The department has also instructed schools in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to ensure that students get the admission booklet and that they are guided to fill their forms. While the department has conducted training workshops for schools under CBSE, a session will be conducted with all ICSE schools on Tuesday. “We will give them a live demonstration on the step-by-step process for online registration. Booklets have been distributed. Just like state board schools, students can apply for the process through their schools,” said Babar.

Several students had earlier complained that they were not guided on the process. “We were told that if we are interested in changing the board, we need to apply independently. The school did not even guide us about where to get the admission booklet from,” said a parent, who registered for the process at DAV College in Bhandup.

An official from the state education department said despite the mandate, many schools are not taking the responsibility of these students. “Parents should demand guidance from them, as we have already trained principals for the process,” said the official. Until Saturday, close to 20,000 students had filled part 1 of the application form.