In June, when the Assam authorities lastly cancelled the board exams attributable to Covid, a lot after different states had already accomplished so, Ratnadeep Sen (15) and Saimeen Sultana (17) had been relieved. In Class 10 and 12 respectively, they hoped it lastly meant finish of months of uncertainty.
However, on July 1, when the federal government introduced its analysis standards for the exams, they realised that was to not be. The standards, set by two government-appointed particular committees, carried a clause: the marksheets as per the brand new scheme wouldn’t be legitimate for state authorities jobs.
The reasoning, as per the clause, was that such recruitments are “substantially” primarily based on HSLC (Class 10) or HSSLC (Class 12) marks, and therefore college students aspiring for instructing or different state authorities jobs must seem for a ‘special exam’ after the pandemic state of affairs improves.
This particular examination is to be held by September 15 (relying on the pandemic) — the identical because the one for college students not happy with the brand new marking system.
All these aspiring to develop into “teachers/employees in the Education Department of Assam or any other Department under the Government of Assam” would want to take the examination.
Sultana, a science stream scholar from Barpeta district, says: “First the exams were postponed, then they said they will be held for three subjects, then they said it was cancelled, and now this!”
She is at present making ready for engineering entrance exams. “While I may want to join an engineering college, what if I change my mind and want to become a teacher or apply for a government job? It will be hard to prepare for both school exams and entrance exams,” Sultana says.
Sen says his faculty in Hailakandi district has already begun on-line classes for Class 11. “Now it seems like we have to study for Class 10 (exams) and Class 11 together. Government jobs are what most of us aim for, so of course no one will risk not sitting for the exam. I hope the government rethinks its decision.”
However, the federal government has indicated it received’t. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has mentioned that the clause is particularly for many who sit for the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET), which provides weightage to Class 10 and Class 12 marks. “Since this year evaluation is based on school records, everyone in the batch will likely do well. So it is not fair to students of previous batches and coming batches who will sit for the TET,” Sarma mentioned.
Assam had held out on cancelling board exams, saying it will maintain them between August 1 and 15, regardless of opposition from college students, with a few of them even shifting the Supreme Court. Approximately seven lakh college students (2.5 lakh from Class 12 and 4.5 lakh from Class 10) had been meant to seem for the exams.
While the Covid state of affairs in Assam is considerably higher since May, quite a lot of districts proceed to report a excessive variety of circumstances. On Tuesday, the federal government introduced whole containment in seven districts. The state at present has 22,897 energetic circumstances.
Student organisations, such because the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP), in addition to opposition events have demanded withdrawal of the clause.
Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia says that if the federal government needs to carry exams, they need to do it for everybody, with out compromising the scholars’ security. “This uncertainty of having exams for some and not for others is not good. Many Class 10 students, especially in rural areas, feel the marksheet they get will be useless. This will lead them to drop out of school,” he fears.
An official from the Department of Education, refusing to be named, says: “We are forced by circumstances to assess them on marks they have got previously…” he says.