Why reintroduce school admission exams?

We are deeply concerned by the government’s decision to scrap the lottery-based admission system for school enrolment from class one to class nine, which is supposed to take effect from the 2027 academic year. The move has raised concerns among educationists and parents alike, who fear it could revive many of the problems the lottery system was originally designed to address. Children will again be facing the old-style admission battle to secure places in their desired schools, while those at the primary level will have to bear unnecessary pressure.

The lottery system was introduced in 2011 to address longstanding irregularities in school admissions, which had often been marred by allegations of corruption, nepotism, and favouritism. Many parents felt compelled to enrol their young children in coaching centres and private tutoring to prepare for admission tests, fuelling the coaching business across the country. The lottery system was therefore seen as a way to make the process more transparent and equitable, particularly for children from ordinary and low-income families.

It also helped curb the intense competition for admission to a limited number of reputed schools in major cities. Although there are tens of thousands of government primary schools in the country, admission pressure remains concentrated in a relatively small number of urban institutions perceived to offer better education. Reintroducing admission tests in such circumstances could therefore exacerbate inequalities, as children from wealthier families are better positioned to prepare for them. Although the education minister insists that the proposed primary-level tests will be very simple, it is unlikely to prevent parents from turning once again to coaching centres for better results, especially given the limited number of seats in many sought-after schools.

Educationists further argue that admission tests for young children are neither educationally sound nor psychologically healthy. At such an early age, children’s abilities are still developing, and subjecting them to competitive examinations risks labelling them unfairly and exposing them to unnecessary stress. While admission tests at higher levels may be appropriate for evaluating students, they make little sense at the primary stage.

We believe that a policy change of this magnitude should not be rushed. Before taking any decision regarding the scrapping of the lottery system, the government should conduct further research and hold broad consultations with all stakeholders. Instead of replacing one system with another, the government must go for proper educational reforms that benefit the students. Policymakers must consider minimising inequality in education, reducing unnecessary pressure on children, maintaining transparency in the admission process and ensuring that all neighbourhoods have good quality schools.