State’s offer to failed students draws flak

MUMBAI: Junior college students who fail the 11th standard examination don’t need to repeat the course. Instead, the state government has given unsuccessful students the option of withdrawing from college to appear privately for the Higher Secondary Certificate examination the next year.
The decision has invited harsh criticism from junior college teachers, who ask why it’s necessary to conduct an exam for FYJC students at all.
If it’s no longer going to matter whether a student passes or fails then why should we waste our time and effort conducting the FYJC exams?’’ asked an agitated south Bombay college principal. Deputy director of education Madhav Deshle told junior college teachers about the state government’s decision at a meeting on June 16.
Previously, a student could appear privately for the HSC exam only three years after passing the 10th standard exam. Now the gap has been reduced to two years, Mr Deshle told TNN on Friday. Asked to explain the reason for the decision, he said, “My job is to implement government directives and not to question or explain them.’’
Educationists say the move is absurd. They said it demonstrates that the government views education merely as a means of doling out degrees in a time-bound manner rather than as a system to equip students with knowledge. “This makes complete mockery of the entire education system,’’ said a teacher from Churchgate’s Jai Hind College.
However, V. Bhide, the principal of SIES College of Commerce, said that the decision should be seen in light of the latest developments in education.
“So far, some FYJC failures have been registering with institutions like the National Open School, New Delhi, and appearing for the 12th standard exams along with their batch mates,’’ he said.
The Open School is an autonomous, distance-education authority established by the human resource development ministry. “Now the government is giving them an option within the state,’’ Mr Bhide explained.