3,368 who failed in compartment exams get another chance

CHANDIGARH: It is time for 3,368 students of Classes IX and XI of government schools, who failed in their compartment exam, to make merry. The UT education department has decided to hold a retest for these students and give them another chance, officials confirmed. The date for the retest is yet to be decided.
As per officials of the UT education department, a total of 2,249 students of Class IX will be given a chance to appear for the retest.
In Class IX, 1,119 students will sit for the retest.
As reported by the TOI last week, the move comes after parents’ protest on May 8 at various government schools asking the authorities concerned to give another chance to their children.
The TOI had reported that the authorities concerned were mulling over giving another chance. Education secretary B L Sharma had confirmed that the department was considering the request. The same has been given approval.
Until last year, the UT education department had been giving grace marks to students failing exams, but after poor Class X results, the practice of giving grace marks was stopped by the department.
As a result, many students failed. On May 7, when the compartment result was announced, many students failed in the exams. Hence, parents protested asking the schools to hold re-examination.
On May 8, parents of children studying in Class IX had gathered outside Government Girls Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 20, Chandigarh. They protested for hours after their children failed to pass the compartment exam in economics and physical education subjects.
Around 70 students had failed the compartment exam.
Parents had alleged that the economics teacher never took classes.
They said when the students raised the matter to the principal, they were told that they could study on their own. They also claimed that the school had not appointed any physical education teacher for students who had opted for the subject and because of which they failed in the exams.
Parents alleged that their children failed in exams because the teachers concerned did not take classes regularly which affected their performance and could not do well in the exams.
They had also demanded grace marks, but were clearly told that the education department had scrapped the policy of providing grace marks to students last year.