Percentile woes for ICSE, CBSE students

PUNE: Jasmeet Kaur, a std X pass-out from the ICSE-affiliated Hutchings school, was expecting a 'fair deal' from the std XI seat allotment under the centralised admission process (CAP). Having passed her std X exam with 86 per cent, Jasmeet was confident about landing a seat at one of the 'decent colleges'.
However, her hopes were dashed as the percentile formula (introduced this year to put SSC board students on a par with ICSE and the CBSE students) caused her to be allotted a 'so-so' college at Erandwane, almost 8 km away from her residence at Camp.
"It's just unfair," said a distraught Rajwant Singh, father of Jasmeet, while speaking to TOI on Tuesday. "My
daughter was crying over the prospect of studying at such an institution," he said.
Post-percentile formula, Jasmeet's score rose to 88 from 86 per cent. "A two per cent rise in comparison to the four-plus per cent rise got by SSC students," said Rajwant. How the state can justify such disparity, he asked.
However, Pune's divisional deputy director (education) G.K. Mhamane claims that it is not much of an issue in the city.
Gaurav Kher, who passed with 93.6 per cent from a CBSE school, bagged a science seat at Fergusson College. Usually, few people would have complained but Gaurav said that the percentile system was 'not workable'. "We are getting a maximum of two percent advantage, while the SSC students are getting a four per cent benefit. This system should be scrapped because our syllabus is way ahead of the SSC, there's just no question of equalisation."
Total 1,536 students from the CBSE board and 833 from the ICSE had sought admission through the CAP. The total of such students (2,369) pales in comparison to the overall 51,700 allotments in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, yet these students had a "genuine" concern regarding the impact of the percentile system on their future. "Our hopes now hinge solely on the proceedings in the Bombay high court, which will start on July 24 against the percentile system," said another CBSE student.
Several other students filed plaints at the grievance redressal cell at the SP college and other centres. A disappointed Anjali Nivangane, who got a commerce seat in a college at Kondhwa, said, "I stay at Navi Peth and would have preferred a college nearby. How can they allot me a seat at Kondhwa?"
S Bhakre, a parent, said, "There is no clarity in the process. We have come from Pandharpur and still trying to figure out what to do."
Assistant director (education) V.M. Gaikwad confirmed that they received many complaints on the colleges allotted to students. "Most have said that they haven't received colleges of their choice. But, we have also considered the merit of the student and I don't think there's any alternative," said Gaikwad.