In Class XI, Kochi students opt for state syllabus

KOCHI: Almost 39% of CBSE school students who cleared Class X exam in the district have not sought readmission in the same school this year. This is in tune with the trend witnessed in the state last year, when almost 50% of CBSE students moved to state syllabus schools in Class XI.
Confirming this, Kerala CBSE School Managements Association general secretary Indira Rajan said, “Yes, several students are shifting to state syllabus schools this time.But this in no way reflects on the quality of education at CBSE schools. This is just a temporary phase.”
There are 89 CBSE schools under Kochi Sahodaya and data from 84 schools in the district reveal that 6,832 students had appeared for Class X CBSE exams. But only 4,184 students have sought readmission to Class XI in the school. School authorities reveal that a majority of students has moved to state syllabus in Class XI. Few other students have shift to other CBSE schools in the district.
“The admission process is on and early indications are that the migration rate from CBSE schools to state board in Class XI is higher this year compared to last year. The Ernakulam district has the highest pass percentage in 2014 Kerala HSS exams, indicating the high quality of education in schools in the district. Almost 70% of CBSE students who passed Class X in the district have applied for admission in state syllabus, but we will be able to accommodate only 40% of these students,” said K Mohana Kumar, joint director (examination), Directorate of Higher Secondary Education.
This doesn’t come as a surprise as unlike the earlier trend wherein CBSE students in the city opted for the school-based exam, increasing number of CBSE students from the state appeared for the board-based exam in 2014. In Thiruvananthapuram region, consisting of CBSE schools in Kerala and Lakshwadeep, when 6,543 students appeared for the school-based exam, 63,477 appeared for the board–based exam. CBSE now allows its students to opt either for board-based or school-based exams in Class X. But state syllabus schools give preference to students who have taken the board-based exam when they shift in Class XI.
However, some of the popular schools in the city have been able to ensure that their students continue with the CBSE syllabus in Class XI. For example, Sacred Heart School in Thevara (176 students) and Mar Thoma Public School, Edachira (94), have ensured 100% readmission to Class XI. Schools such as Choice School, Cochin Refineries School, Rajagiri Public School, TocH Public School, Assisi Vidya Niketan, Al-Ameen Public School, the seven Bhavans’ schools in the district, two Chinmaya Vidyalaya schools and Gregorian School have been able to ensure 80% to 98% readmission .
In contrast, Malik Deenar Public School, Adivad, has decided not to have Class XI this year. “We had 52 students in Class X. But hardly anyone has applied for readmission to Class XI. Therefore, we have decided not to have Class XI batch in the school,” said school principal Mohammed Ali.
“Students who opt for state syllabus schools score 5% to 10% more than CBSE students in Class XII. After the state government decision that admissions to professional courses will be based on 50% marks scored in physics, chemistry and mathematics and 50% on the basis of marks scored in entrance exams and the ‘faulty’ normalization process, students are tempted move to state syllabus schools,” added Rajan.
(With inputs from Reshma G S & Maria Alice Isaac)