Odisha Government Releases Guidelines For Admission Into Academic Session 2020-21

Bhubaneswar: Amid COVID-19 lockdown delaying the academic session, the Odisha Government released the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) regarding admission into elementary, secondary and higher secondary classes.
Notably, these guidelines will be applicable only to Government/ Govt aided schools and all schools affiliated to BSE/CHSE, Odisha, Madrasas affiliated to State Madrasa Board and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas.
The letter addresses smooth conduct of admission process amidst the on-going pandemic and prevailing heat conditions. Here are the guidelines:
1: Admissions to be carried out with full compliance to COVID-19 precautions as per H&FW Department and SRC orders.
2: Admission is being taken up so that no child is deprived of due entitlements. It will also ensure that students are included in grade-appropriate academic activities and will further remove the anxiety and stress of students and parents.
3: All students from Grade 1 to VIII have been promoted to the next class for the academic session 2020-21. Instructions regarding the promotion of Grade IX and X students have also been issues.
4: All admissions based on promotions within a school will not require the presence of students/guardians. They are rolling admissions and schools will update their admission register accordingly.
5: Wherever promotion requires students to move from one school to another, in such cases, Headmaster/Headmistress (HM) of the current school where a student is studying shall send a list of such students along with the mobile number of parents preferably through email/WhatsApp, etc to HM of the nearby higher class school. The school which takes admission can take telephonic confirmation and other details as required from parents over the telephone and admit the child.
6: In case a student has to change schools, parent/guardian can obtain Transfer Certificate (TC) from the present school and can submit the same to the new school for admission.
7: Schools, where TMC/Swab Collection Centre/ hospital (for COVID-19) are running at present, can perform the activities relating to issuing of TC or new admission from the nearest Government or aided Primary/ Upper Primary/Secondary school and this information is to be widely circulated in the area and informed to parents thorough phone/WhatsApp messages.
8: In case of any difficulty relating to TC, provisions of Section 5 of the RTE Act may be followed.
9: For new admission to Class I, information may be collected by primary school HMs from feeder Anganwadi Centres preferably over telephone/WhatsApp, etc. The HM will contact the concerned parent/guardian telephonically. It is reiterated that the presence of the student is not all required for the admission process
10: If a parent’s presence is required in case of a new admission, HMs to ensure that social distancing, hand hygiene, mask usage and other COVID-19 precautions are strictly followed. Also, HM to ensure that each parent/guardian is informed about date and time for arrival at school in order to avoid crowding.
11. Hostel entrance exams, where applicable, shall not be held now.
12: Under no circumstances, admission will be allowed in schools located within containment zones. The admission process can be taken up after the area is declared as ‘Out of containment’ zone.
13: Rationalisation and Consolidation of schools are to be completed as per policy and admissions to lead schools are to be done. No admission to satellite schools, which have been identified and verified to be merged with a lead school, should be done.
14: DEO/DPC/BEO will monitor the entire admission process for smooth and safe completion.