Private school entrance tests banned

Posted On: 13/02/2011 Updated On:

Hyderabad: Students from the state will not be forced to face screening tests for admission to private schools this season. For, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) issued a directive to the secondary school education department on Friday to ban all screening tests for admissions.

On Friday, D Sambashiva Rao, principal secretary, secondary education, directed the commissioner of school education to ban private schools from holding screening tests. The order stated that if schools violate the order, the government would de-recognise them.

The directive has come at a time when several corporate schools including Narayana Group of Schools, Sri Chaitanya Techno Schools and Ravindra Bharathi Group of Schools have scheduled their “entrance tests”. The schools planned to conduct their tests on Sunday. As per the order, the schools will now have to return the entrance fee (Rs 50) collected from students. Private schools stated that they would abide by the government order and stop the screening tests.

According to Achyutha Rao, president, AP Bala Sangham, the child rights NGO that petitioned the SHRC on the issue, the screening tests are just a marketing strategy employed by private schools to lure students. “The schools advertise that they would give full scholarship to students who get high grades in the screening test. But just one or two students from thousands who write the test get scholarship,” said Rao. He added that the schools hold these tests to attract students of other schools. “Since several schools have mushroomed in the state during the past few years, it is difficult for managements to fill seats. Hence to attract students, they conduct these tests,” Rao told the SHRC. The petitioner also stated that the schools were luring students with freebies like i-pods, DVD players, laptops and web cameras. The SHRC also directed the principal secretary, secondary education to file a report on the matter by February 18. “The department takes the matter seriously and might even impose a fine on schools which have advertised the tests,” said Sambashiva Rao.

Interestingly, the schools have been conducting talent tests in violation of not just the Right to Education Act but also a high court order issued in 2009.

The court had banned screening tests under the name “talent hunts” which were being conducted by corporate schools to attract students. The schools, however, continued the screening tests under different names including “free entrance” and “road show” to avoid contempt of court.

More News

Odisha Launches INR 164.33 Crore Robotics Labs Across 807 Government Schools to Boost AI and Coding Skills

Odisha Launches INR 164.33 Crore Robotics Labs Across 807 Government Schools to Boost AI and Coding Skills Bhubaneswar: In a major push to modernize public education and equip students for emerging technology careers, the Odisha government has inaug...

Posted On: 14/11/2026

AIBE 22 Admit Card 2026 Releasing on 14th November 2026

AIBE 22 Admit Card 2026 Releasing on 14th November 2026 The Bar Council of India (BCI) is scheduled to release the admit card for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) 22 on November 14, 2026. Candidates who have successfully registered and paid the ...

Posted On: 14/11/2026

JEE Main 2027 Registration Underway: NTA Clarifies Valid Application Rules, Deadlines, and Attempt Limits

JEE Main 2027 Registration Underway: NTA Clarifies Valid Application Rules, Deadlines, and Attempt Limits NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) is currently accepting online applications for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2027 Sess...

Posted On: 13/11/2026

IIT Kharagpur Becomes First IIT To Launch MD Programmes Approved By National Medical Body

IIT Kharagpur Becomes First IIT To Launch MD Programmes The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has achieved a notable milestone by becoming the first IIT to launch postgraduate MD programmes accredited by the National Medical Commission ...

Posted On: 13/11/2026

University of Hyderabad Invites Applications for Free 6-Day Higher Education Leadership Programme; Registration Closes November 30

University of Hyderabad Invites Applications for Free 6-Day Higher Education Leadership Programme; Registration Closes November 30 HYDERABAD: The University of Hyderabad (UoH), through its Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (MMTTC), has opened...

Posted On: 12/11/2026

Telangana To Adopt 10+2 Education System From 2027-28

Telangana To Adopt 10+2 Education System From 2027-28 Telangana is set to implement the 10+2 education system starting from the next academic year. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has instructed officials from the Education Department to initiate pre...

Posted On: 12/11/2026

Manipur Board Exams 2027: BSEM Class 10 & COHSEM Class 12 Date Sheets Released; Check Complete Subject-Wise Schedule

Manipur Board Exams 2027: BSEM Class 10 & COHSEM Class 12 Date Sheets Released; Check Complete Subject-Wise Schedule IMPHAL — The Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM) and the Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM) ha...

Posted On: 11/11/2026

Bihar Board Opens Registration For Free JEE, NEET Coaching 2027

Bihar Board Opens Registration For Free JEE, NEET Coaching 2027 The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has initiated the registration for its complimentary coaching program aimed at students preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and ...

Posted On: 11/11/2026

What 3 Years of JEE Main Papers Reveal About Mastering Mathematics for 2027

Crack the Code: What 3 Years of JEE Main Papers Reveal About Mastering Mathematics for 2027 For engineering aspirants targeting JEE Main 2027, one subject consistently stands as the gatekeeper between a good rank and a dream seat: Mathematics. Over...

Posted On: 10/11/2026

Andhra Pradesh SSC 2027 Exam Fees

Andhra Pradesh SSC 2027 Exam Fees The Directorate of Government Examinations, Andhra Pradesh, has officially announced the fee payment schedule for the Class 10 (SSC) examinations set for March 2027, to be conducted in a pen-and-paper format. School...

Posted On: 10/11/2026

View all

Admission Open

ICFAI University (IFHE)

Hyderabad, Telangana

BBA, BCA, L.L.B, LLM, B.Arch, B.Sc, BA, MA, EMBA, BA LLB (Hons.), BBA LLB (Hons.), Ph.D in Law, Ph.D, PG Diploma, Ph.D (Economics), B.E / B.Tech, Ph.D

Apply Brochure