About 1.75 lakh children have been unable to secure admissions in nursery classes this year. School principals say the reason for their disappointment because their parents were running after brand names.

“Every parent naturally wants his or her ward to get into the big schools they have applied to. Just because you haven’t got in through them doesn’t mean you haven’t got through anywhere,” Springdales Pusa Road Principal Amita Wattal says.

While these numbers could be higher, many parents would never know why, despite being qualified and cashing in on neighbourhood points, they were not able to get through the big schools. As per the orders of the Directorate of Education, schools have to display a break-up of points on their notice board or website to ensure transparency. But many schools have not complied with the orders.

“We pay taxes. Our children deserve to be in these schools,” Bharadwaj says.

Luck has not favoured another parent Sukhwinder Singh (name changed) for the second consecutive year. Last year, he had applied to a dozen schools, got through none and had to be content with a neighbourhood school. This year, he had hoped his child would be able to get a seat in one of the big schools, but so far he has not got admission anywhere. “I don’t know what I will do,” he says.

Many parents who had hoped to get their wards’ admissions in one of the city’s elite schools, have given up the fight and gone to the lesser known schools, most of which are new, and secured seats. Sanjay Singh, a parent who had applied to Springdales, Pusa Road, and was not able to get through, says he opted for a school in Dwarka and hopes he’s made a good decision. “I had no other option. Instead of waiting for another year and without any certainty whatsoever, I preferred this school,” he says.

Singh adds that parents who have not been able to get a seat should consider the new schools where admissions are still open. “There’s no point in continuing to be in the race for the best schools,” he said.

Minister of Education Arvinder Singh Lovely, meanwhile, said the government will ensure that “no child is left behind”. For parents who want only the best for their children, the promise, however, doesn’t ring true.

Most government schools have no nursery classes and parents are also reluctant to send their children to these schools, blaming a lack of good facilities and teachers known best for their absenteeism, for their decision.