Unaided minority schools in the state capital have deferred their decision on admission to seats set aside for underprivileged children till Patna High Court disposes of the case between them and the state government.

This decision of the schools has triggered more anxiety among parents of children who could not get admission in nursery classes in the 17 unaided minority schools in the city.

The representatives of the schools had gathered on Sunday to decide the fate of the seats set aside for underprivileged children, as the Supreme Court verdict, announced on Thursday, has kept such institutions out of the purview of reservation in all states, except three in the Northeast.

The meeting was convened under the banner of Christian Minority Education Society. About 1,000 seats in these schools are kept vacant.

St Dominic Savio’s High School founder-director J.P. Galstaun said though the Supreme Court has given its verdict in the case, the schools, which were directed by the high court in May last year to keep 25 per cent seats vacant, will not start admission to the vacant seats till the court passes a final order in this connection.

“The high court had stayed admission on 25 per cent seats and abiding by the order, we have kept those seats vacant. Till the court passes a final order, we will not take admission to these seats,” Galstaun told The Telegraph.

Representatives of all prominent schools, including Don Bosco Academy, Notre Dame Academy, St. Michael’s High and St Karen’s High School, were present in the meet held at Loyola High School.

There are two aided minority institutions in the state capital — St Xavier’s High School and Mount Carmel. These schools receive government aid only for running courses under Bihar School Examination Board. There is still uncertainty over whether seats vacant in ICSE course in these schools will now be open for all. There are also speculations that these schools could forego the government aid to come out of the ambit of seat reservation.

Many parents, meanwhile, said they were disappointed with the outcome of Sunday’s meeting.

“I had applied to Notre Dame Academy and St Joseph’s Convent for my daughter’s admission. I was hopeful that after today’s meeting, schools will consider some old applicants as more seats will be available but the situation remains ambiguous,” said Sadhna Lal, a resident of Nehru Nagar.

Meanwhile, private schools, too, are worried following the decision and are considering filing a review petition in the apex court. M. Hassan, the president of Association of Independent Schools, said: “We should not be taken under the purview of the Right to Education Act as we are not getting any financial support from the government.”