After Education Minister Sudhir Joshi had announced the suspension of the admission procedures under the Act, schools have been under the impression that the entire Act stands suspended. Said Principal M P Sharma from G D Somani School, Cuffe Parade: ``We are already through with our admissions, which were conducted strictly in keeping with the Act, as its suspension came much later. Now, I am confused with this latest development, as we are of the belief that the entire Act stands suspended.

This will poorly reflect on thedeliberation process of the Act which we are going to have with the state government. The state government could have at least intimated us directly about the postponement''.

Added Ramakant Pandey, principal of Bansidhar Aggarwal High School and Junior College, Wadala, they had completed admissions based on a `loose' interpretation of the Act. The school organised a get-together with its prospective candidates prior to admission to ensure that the children were `physically and mentally sound', added Pandey. Deshmukh clarified to Express Newsline that his statement merely clarified Joshi's statement in the Assembly. ``The minister did say on the floor that only section five stands postponed. Because this has not been properly reported in the media, there has been confusion, on which some parents and school authorities have sought my clarification'', said Deshmukh. Joshi, on his part, maintained that he had mentioned suspension of admissions as mentioned in the Act.

``It should be amply clear that sectionfive stands suspended. Of course, I did not deliberate over other sections, but that should be no cause for confusion,'' he observed. However Joshi added, ``Whether school authorities follow other provisions of the Act or not, we will not take any action over the next one year. We would like to create a conducive atmosphere for constructive dialogue between school managements and state government to amicably decide on the suspended provision, which is the core of the issue.''

While the minister's statement should give befuddled school authorities across the state some respite, non-convent schools may not feel the repercussions, as admissions are almost through in these schools. But since the entire Act is in the stages of deliberation which made the government go for suspension, the success of the deliberation processes is as much remains to be seen as is the conduct of Catholic schools, where admissions are slated for June.