As initiated in 2017 with five schools, The Government is planning to inaugurate Schools of Excellence for Arts, Science, and Commerce in 29 zones of Delhi each, says Delhi’s Education Minister Manish Sisodia.
“Each school in a particular zone will specialize in one stream. Let’s say one school is set up for science. We will bring in the best science teachers for this school. It will have the best infrastructure and ample opportunities for participation in national and international science fests and competitions. Students who wish to study science will have the opportunity to get admission in this school after Class X board exams. In these schools, all sections in classes XI and XII will be dedicated to the science stream. Similarly, there will be schools for commerce, humanities, and perhaps sports and music,” Sisodia, who is also the Education Minister, said.
It was announced that new schools won’t be inaugurated but existing schools will be granted the tag of Schools of Excellence. These schools will hold smaller classrooms, healthy student-teacher ratio, the best infrastructure among all government schools, and no vacant posts for teachers.
For being eligible to secure admission in these schools, the schools will conduct entrance examinations, similar to the Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalayas (RPVVs), where they conduct entrance examinations after Class VIII.
“Even if we look at private schools in the country, some are known for their humanities section and some for commerce or science. There are schools that excel in sports. If we have a school where fine and performing arts are given primacy…. we will have studios, the best faculty, as well as exposure from the field for them,” Sisodia said.
“This is not a project that can be completed in a year. It will take three or four years,” Sisodia said.
Students who fail to secure admission in these schools will eventually have to continue to study in the same schools as Xth, with almost all schools offering humanities, science, and commerce.