What changed (and what did not)

In 2007, the Supreme Court of India ruled that direct testing of children at nursery admissions amounts to "screening" and is therefore prohibited. Since then, schools formally interact with the parent during admission interactions, with the child present but not tested.

In practice, most Delhi schools run a 15-25 minute parent interaction. The child sits in. The school assesses parental fit, family stability, and the parents' alignment with the school's stated values.

The five questions you will be asked

  1. Why this school? Open-ended; testing whether you have done specific homework or are applying to 30 schools indiscriminately. Mention 2-3 specifics about the school's approach (a programme, a value, a principal interview you read).
  2. How do you handle a tantrum at home? The school is testing parenting style, not looking for a specific answer. Honest is better than rehearsed. They are screening for harsh / authoritarian / dismissive vs warm / structured / engaged.
  3. What does your child love doing? Tests whether you actually pay attention to your child. Specific is better than aspirational ("she loves running her hand through wet sand at the park" beats "he is very curious about the world").
  4. How will you support the child's education at home? Tests whether the parents see school as the sole owner of education or as a partnership. Lean toward partnership.
  5. How do you feel about the school's [policy on X]? Where X = no homework till Class 3, mandatory swimming, vegetarian-only canteen, no birthday celebrations in class, etc. Tests whether the parents have read the policy. If you have not, say "I have not read this fully — could you walk me through it?" Better than guessing.

Three things to do before the interview

  • Read the school's vision statement and three recent newsletters. Both are usually on the website.
  • Visit the school once on a regular school day, not just on the open house. 10 minutes outside the gate at lunch break tells you more than the 90-minute tour.
  • Talk to two current parents. Not the school's "parent ambassadors" — random parents at pickup time.

Three things to avoid

  • Treating it as a job interview. The school does not want polish; it wants people who feel like part of the parent community.
  • Coaching the child. The child is not being tested. Children sense when parents are anxious, and schools sense it through the child.
  • Mentioning competitor schools. "We are also considering [X school]" is fine; "We are choosing between you and [X], and you are second" is unhelpful, even when true.

One unsolicited move

The school is also a community you are joining for 12-14 years. The interview is two-way. If the school's interaction with you feels off — perfunctory, transactional, dismissive — that is data on what the next 14 years will feel like.