The CBSE Class XII results declared on Friday were an obvious indication of the improved academic standards at Delhi government schools. The same day, there was another indicator to these schools’ growing standard and increasing popularity: a three-fold rise in application for admission in Delhi government-run Sarvodaya schools.

The improved performance, though, is just one factor leading to more enrolment in government schools, say experts. Increased fee and arrears demanded by private schools after implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations and the large number of migrants moving base to Delhi every year are also forcing people from middle or lower-middle classes to look at government schools as an option.

On Friday, more than 90,000 applicants registered themselves to take the entrance examination for admission to Sarvodaya schools — up from around 30,000 last year. “We don’t know the exact reasons for the jump in applications but the increase can be partly attributed to the standards of academics and infrastructure in Delhi government schools that have improved drastically in the last four years,” Delhi’s Education Secretary Rina Ray said.

The entrance examination is held for students of classes I to VIII, and applicants include students from private schools, those from the NCR cities of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad, and students from other states.

Directorate of Education (DoE) officials said a large number of applications yesterday came from students from smaller private schools in the city. Some applicants are also from elite public schools, admitted there as part of the economically weaker sections scheme, officials said.

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