Nursery Admissions and Delhi's very own Bal Thackeray

Last one month has been quite eventful for both Mumbai and Delhi, in seemingly different and yet surprisingly similar ways. In Mumbai, the ageing Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and his brand of Mumbai-for-Marathimanoos politics was in news again while his nephew Uddav Thackeray of MNS was waiving his no-entry sign again to Biharis and UPwallas. They also threatened cricketers from Oz as retaliation for attacks on Indians down under and banned Pak players in Mumbai or even in IPL. However none of this rhetoric was new. Like a prudent investor who invests in an SIP (System Investment Plan) to build his capital, Shiv Sena and MNS keep raising these divisive issues time and again to keep their vote bank warm. To the aamaadmi, this was another non-sense that they have been putting up. However what was different this time was that, for different reasons, three heavyweights decided to voice their opposition. First Rahul Gandhi rubbished the Mumbai-for-Marathimanoos theory with a rather novel argument of Bihari /UP-Policewallas shedding their lives in 26/11. Then SRK and Mukesh Ambani added their voice to exclusion of Pak players in IPL, and standing their ground despite threats from Shiv Sena and MNS. And when finally Rahul Gandhi hopped on to the Mumbai local to rub it in, it was clear that this time MNS and SS have bitten much more than they can chew. Unlike aamaadmi’s constant tirade, when someone like Rahul Gandhi, SRK and Mukesh Ambani voice their opposition, everyone listens and it makes a real difference. And so after a month of hullabo, it finally seems that common sense is prevailing in Mumbai and Mumbai-for-Marathimanoos theory is rightfully been confined to dustbins.

Now let us turn our attention to events in Delhi and compare it with Mumbai. On the face of it, you might think that Delhi does not have as colourful patronage as Balasaheb or Uddav Thackeray to fight for the right of Dilliwallas. Think again – we have a very unlikely hero amongst us - our very own Mr. Lovely, Honorable Education Minister in the Delhi Govt. Deliberately or not, Dilli-for-Dilliwallas theory got a shot in the arm from this very unlikely quarter. Mr. Lovely’s game-plan is very simple. Do not allow the children of non-Dilliwallas to get admission in Delhi schools. And if you do that consistently year-after-year, esp. in the least visible and maximum impactful manner (i.e. through nursery admission), you will gradually force the outsider parents to leave the city. And voila - the city gets rid of outsiders!


Just to turn the clock backwards, in 2007 Delhi Govt. issued guidelines to schools on nursery admissions which listed some basic minimum parameters but also stated that ‘Schools can also fix additional parameters but are required to stipulate a point system for each criteria/parameter’ as long as the criteria are not discriminatory and these are approved by Directorate of Education. The original order further states that ‘The school shall adopt those parameters which are in the best interests of children and are in line with its own philosophy’. Hence as per the original order, if a school wants to induct children based on a particular criterion, it is free to do so. And that means if Sanskriti or Bluebells wants to give weightages to parents education and professional qualification, it is free to do so. However Honorable Education Minister Mr. Lovely’s interpretation of this ruling is highly debatable. As per his interpretation schools cannot give any weightages to parents’ professional qualifications or jobs as, in his eyes, that is discriminatory. But at the same time, he turns a blind eye when schools give weightages to the wards of the Govt. Employee. How has he arrived at this interpretation and why being a Govt. Employee is not discriminatory is anyone guess. However it is important to note this is only his own interpretation and not as per the original guideline. Another interesting aspect of the original ruling is that it clearly states that the ‘The school shall not change, alter or modify its approved admission criteria during the admission process in an academic session’. Most of the schools in Delhi have admitted to changing their admission criteria in last week on January due to Mr. Lovely’s last minute diktat causing a huge inconvenience to parents. Why is Mr. Lovely turning a blind eye to this flouting of original Govt. order is not surprising. It is clear that if flouting of his own Govt’s rule suits Mr. Lovely and his agenda then it is acceptable.

While the original Govt. ruling is commendable especially in view of the transparency and common timing of admissions, Mr. Lovely is trying to use give it a flavor what it is not and using it to his own advantage through highly objectionable last minute diktats. India has long debated the merit of reservation in professional colleges and jobs. It looks like now, courtesy Mr. Lovely; we have a new brand of ‘reservation’ for Govt. Employee and that too in nursery schools! How preference for Govt. Employee is not discriminatory to wider public is anyone’s guess. If anything, wards of professionals can only hope for an admission in a private school and now even that is being denied, rather cunningly, by Mr. Lovely. Wards of the Govt. employees have a huge universe of Govt. Schools (including Kendriya Vidyalayas) that are meant for them only. So why does Mr. Lovely feel he has the right to meddle and give preference to Govt. Employee in non-Govt. schools is anyone’s guess. If it is the poor quality of Govt schools, then it is a reflection on state Govt. and the response of the Govt. should be improve the quality of Govt. schools. Instead, Honorable minister has taken the easy way out to forcing private schools to give preference to Govt. Employees. And the casualty – wards of the professional parents who committed the cardinal sin of opting to work in the private sector. So if you are a Doctor or an MBA or a chartered accountant, you will be discriminated and penalized by not giving admission to your child in nursery. The result – DPS VV did not admit a single child who was not from the Dilliwalla category (defined by Alumni / Sibling criterion or Delhi Govt. Employee). Message from Mr. Lovely is loud and clear – Dilli is for Dilliwallas. As for Professionals, well you stay out of Delhi!

When you analyse and compare what happened in Mumbai and Delhi, you see two fundamental reasons why Thackeray’s Mumbai-for- Marathimanoos theory flopped while Lovely’s Dilli-for-Dilliwallas theory is succeeding. One is that unlike the opposition by heavyweights in Mumbai for Mumbai-for-Marathimanoos theory, there was no significant media coverage or opposition from any big-wig / celebrity in Delhi on Dilli-for-Dilliwallas. After all what is there for media in something as mundane as nursery admission or maybe children of all bigwigs and celebrities get admission as a result of this discrimination. And so in Delhi, it is left for the aamaadmi to fend for himself. They resort to new-age media like blog or online forums (like nurseryadmissions.com) etc which can have very marginal impact, if any. And the result – issue will die down its natural death and the aam aadmi is left helpless again. The second and probably more potent difference is the way it is being done. In Mumbai, Shiv Sena and MNS resorted to strong arm tactics and waving of black flag etc. But in Delhi Mr Lovely did it in hushed and low-profile manner which does not attract attention but still gets the work done through back-door.

While the two issues may look completely different and unrelated, the common theme of protectionism and discrimination bind them together. Knowingly or unknowingly, Mr. Lovely can claim the hitherto vacant position of Balasaheb of Delhi! As for Balasaheb, well he needs to take a leaf out honorable minister’s book for kicking outsides. So while Balasaheb may not have succeeded in creating a Mumbai-for-Marathimanoos, Mr. Lovely has taken a big stride forward in making Dilli-for-Dilliwallas by kicking the professionals and non-Dilliwallas out of the nursery admission. And he has done it with so much of finesse that even Detective Hercule Poirot may want to label it as a Perfect Crime! Honorable minister may have a much brighter future in divisive society and politics than he may realise. And as for the aamaadmi of Dilli, well, it is a race against time to find a school for her child in adjoining areas of Gurgaon or Noida, before Mr. Lovely’s long hands reach there.