Educationists, however, say it is a tragedy that an act which sought to regulate a sector hitherto ruled by pure caprice may never see the light of day thanks to the government's succeptibility to both legislators and a section of schools which have stonewalled the legislation.

Still, school managements say the government should take a decision one way or the other rather than keep the act in limbo. It could either implement the act with suitable amendments as demanded by minority-run schools or repeal it altogether as preferred byCatholic-run institutions.

Says a harried parent who is worried about pre-school admission for the 2000-2001 academic year: ``Given a choice, all of us would opt for the act as it attempts to plug the donation menace. But going by the way the government functions, corruption is inbuilt in the system. So one expects little from the act. It could still have at least set the ball rolling for a fresh perspective in the school education system. The least the government can do now is clarify the status of the act.''

Minority schools, which had begun pre-primary admissions in January, say there was immense confusion as to whether to follow the earlier procedure or whether they were expected to adopt the legislation. In fact, Catholic schools, hell bent on scuttling the act due to its curbs on selection of students, have still to open admissions this year.

Vice-president of the Unaided School Forum, B P Sheth (who also heads a linguistic minority school) has repeatedly testified to the necessity of the act asit sought to register pre-school centres thereby weeding out unqualified ones. ``Since last year, we have been holding a series of meetings with the state government including the earlier chief minister, Manohar Joshi, and Education Minister Sudhir Joshi. It is high time the government makes a clean breast of it,'' he says.

Principal of Bansidhar Aggarwal High School and Junior College, Wadala, Ramakant Pandey says: ``There is already a feeling that the act does not exist. Why doesn't the government give its verdict and end the confusion?''

Kamini Kapadia, co-convenor of Forum for Creche and Childcare Services, a non-governmental group which includes 15 NGOs, reiterates that the government's silence on the act is absurd.

The principal of an affluent pre-school centre in South Mumbai is incensed. ``This is ridiculous. It has been two years since I have been hearing of this act. Can the state government kindly brief us about its intentions as I shall accordingly decide whether I need to close down myschool,'' she remarks.

Clearly, the government's mute stance indicates just one thing: its myopic vision blocks it from going beyond short-term political gains. About 90 per cent of legislators have opposed the act tooth and nail apart from pressure from a section of schools. Why would the government risk antagonising these interest groups when implementing the act would alternatively not bring any tangible political gains.