General category – Location of the residence and convenience of parents and child: Maximum 20 marks. (Under the earlier guidelines householders – residents living closest to the school – would get 40% while non-householders – residents living near the school would get 7%)

The School Committee may consider giving full marks if the school applied is the closest school to the applicant’s residence. It may consider reducing one mark for each school of the same category (National or Provincial) situated between the school applied for and the applicant’s residence. If an applicant seeks marks under this category, he or she cannot seek marks under the past pupils category.

Past Pupils: Maximum 20 marks. (Under the earlier guidelines past pupils would secure 25%)

The School Committee may use discretion when deciding the marks for each applicant under this category and consider a breakdown such as: Membership of the Past Pupils’ Association – 2 marks; Period spent as a student – 2 marks per year, with a maximum of 10 marks; Academic performance or Co/Extra-curricular activities – 4 marks; and Service rendered to school – 4 marks
If an applicant seeks marks under this category he or she cannot do so under the general category.

Siblings: Maximum 5 marks. (Under the earlier guidelines 15% would be given if the applicant had a sister or a brother in the same school).
A brother or sister studying in the school applied for.

Public Sector/ Private Sector/ Self-employee: Maximum of 5 marks. (Under the earlier guidelines transferred parents who were government servants and MPs who were out of their residence on duty would get 06%; Parents working in institutes that are directly connected to school education 05%; and Parents who have come back from abroad 02%)
Applicants employed in the public sector both within and outside the feeder area but residing within the feeder area of the school and applicants employed in the private sector and self-employed within the feeder area are entitled to these marks. If an applicant seeks marks under this category he or she will not be entitled to marks given under the category of Members of the Armed Forces/ Police Service.

 

Members of the Armed Forces/ Police Service: Maximum 10 marks. (Under the earlier guidelines five seats in every class were for this category)
Applicants who are serving or have served in an operational area and who have lost their lives or have been permanently disabled or missing-in-action or have received bravery awards are entitled to 10 marks. If an applicant seeks marks under this category he or she will not be entitled to marks under the category of Public sector/ Private sector/ Self employee.
Applications under this category should be first submitted to the Defence Ministry and the Secretary to the Defence Ministry who will select, certify and forward them to the respective schools. Any application certified by the Defence Secretary would get 10 marks. Special provisions will be made, in consultation with the Defence Secretary, for those under this category who are not able to send their applications within the given time-frame due to exigencies of service.

 

After the process of short- listing is done: Suitability and the need of the child: Maximum 20 marks.

The suitability and the need of the child will be decided upon observations of the child’s activities at the time of selection.

******** Selection Committee

The School’s Selection Committee which will make selections for Grade 1 for each National School will be appointed by the Provincial Director of Education with the approval of the Education Ministry Secretary and for each Provincial School will be appointed by the Provincial Director on the recommendation of the Zonal Director of Education.
The Selection Committee will comprise:

A representative of the Provincial Director not below the rank of a Director or a Deputy Director of Education (Chairperson)

The Principal or his/her representative being a Deputy Principal/senior teacher of the school

A representative of the Zonal Director of Education being an SLEAS officer

Head of the Primary Division or a Deputy Head/senior teacher of primary section as a representative

Two representatives of the Past Pupils’ Association of the school nominated by the PPA

Two representatives from the School Development Society, not being teachers of the school and not being past pupils nominated by the SDS

An eminent well-wisher of the school not being a person involved in active politics and not being a member of the PPA or a member of the SDS, to be appointed in agreement with the members of the committee.

Source: Sunday Times, Sept 09, 2007