The trend, according to many, has its own share of advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, it ensures that a student gets admission to Class XI irrespective of his or her board exam results. On the other, on many occasions, such admissions seal their future.

“The schools give provisional admissions on the basis of internal assessments. In case a student does well in the board examination, there is little chance if he or she can change the stream or the school,” said a student of Loreto Convent, Entally who is desperately looking for provisional admission to another school as her school offers only up to Class X.

Such students also have to pay a high admission fee along with quarterly tuition fees. When the board results are out in a couple of months, many of them cannot change the school as the money that he or she has already paid will not be refunded.

This year, the ICSE examination will end on March 28 and CBSE examination on April 2 this year. Already, many schools have filled bulk of their Class XI seats through provisional admissions. According to many schools, it is an attempt to retain their best students. Almost all schools will start classes from the first week of April.

Keya Sinha, Principal of Vivekananada Mission, said: “We will admit 120 students this year. This year, we have 105 students at Class X and they will be given preference.”

She added, “For us, provisional admissions are based on internal class tests and Class X half-yearly examinations.”

Mahadevi Birls Girls High School Principal Malini Bhagat said that from this year, the school has discontinued the process of admitting students on provisional basis. “Why should a student be left hanging for provisional admission?” she asked.