New Delhi: The Directorate of Education (DoE) has released detailed admission guidelines for students seeking entry into government-run special schools in Delhi. The new rules apply to entry-level classes as well as admissions for Classes 1 to 9 and Class 11.
According to the circular issued on March 6, students who have completed their previous class from a recognised school will be granted direct admission into Classes 6 to 9. However, out-of-school children seeking to join Class 6 will need to undergo an assessment to evaluate their basic literacy and numeracy skills.
For students seeking admission to Classes 7 and 8 without prior education in a recognised institution, a simple undertaking from their parents will be sufficient.
Meanwhile, those applying for Class 9 must have passed the previous grade from a recognised school. Students transferring from feeder schools with valid documentation are exempt from age criteria, and school heads can grant a six-month relaxation
upon parental request.
The age requirements for different class levels, as of March 31 of the academic year, have also been defined. For entry-level admissions, children must be between three and seven years old for nursery, four to eight years for kindergarten, five to nine years for Class 1, and so on.
Similarly, mid-level admissions require students to be between 10 and 16 years for Class 6, 11 and 17 years for Class 7, 12 and 18 years for Class 8, and 13 and 19 years for Class 9. In some cases, a six-month age relaxation may be granted at the school’s discretion.
Students seeking admission to Class 11 must have passed the Class 10 examination from a recognised board. Those who have completed Class 10 through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) must meet specific percentage criteria, 50 per cent in five subjects for humanities without skill subjects and 45 per cent for humanities with skill subjects.
For children with disabilities, the DoE has set specific criteria. Visually impaired students must possess a disability certificate or a Unique Disability ID (UDID) card.
Admissions for students with intellectual disabilities are restricted to those falling under moderate to profound categories based on their IQ levels. Hearing-impaired students must have severe to profound hearing loss (above 61 dB) and will need additional assessments such as PTA (hearing test)
and IQ tests.
Given the challenges of transportation, priority will be given to students from the Trans-Yamuna region. Additionally, preference will be extended to students who have siblings already studying in government special schools.
The admissions process will be conducted online through the official website. While Delhi-based students will be prioritised, non-residents can apply for hostel accommodation if seats remain available after admitting eligible Delhi residents. The DoE also noted that admissions would depend on seat availability, and if applications exceed the number of available seats, a draw of
lots will be conducted.