Focus
Students caught between the devil and the deep sea
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As the state board comes up with new policies every year it is the students who suffer the repercussions of whimsical decisions, says Disha Shetty. |
Percentile’ in the year 2008, ‘90:10’ in 2009 and ‘best of five’ policy in 2010. Three years in a row, the state board has been springing up surprises sending both the students as well as their parents in a panic mode bang in the middle of a stressful admission process. Both sides have their own views on whether these policies are helpful or biased against students of a particular board. What everybody agrees on though is that the timing is completely inappropriate. Who would want to go through endless waiting for the court to deliver its verdict just before the admission process? Who would want the quality of education to be compromised as a result of a delayed start to the academic year, which more often than not results in the portion being hurriedly skimmed and unit tests being cancelled.
The confusion caused year after year is such that there is no consensus on how to proceed with the admissions. In 2008, by the time the percentile system was struck down many colleges had already completed the admission procedures. The same was the story for the 90:10, the following year. This year too the high court had to intervene to sort things out after the best of five policy was introduced at the last moment. Mr. K. R. Acharya who is the ex-principal of Chembur Karnatak High School, a state board school, and has been in the field of education for decades dismisses these policies as populist measures. His concern is the deteriorating quality of education. “We should not be compromising on basic quality of education and dilute its value. Students need to have strong fundamentals. Best of five will encourage them to ignore certain subjects.” He adds that the policy has probably helped a few, “The percentages have gone up but not the knowledge quotient of the students. The policies may have helped some students but to a large extent it is detrimental to the whole education system and people will not associate state board with quality education if this scenario continues.”
There are some who believe that the state board is specifically targeting the CBSE and ICSE boards rather than focus on their own fundamentals. Some like Suman Barua, a student who passed from CBSE disagrees with it though. He says, “I do not think that the state board is biased against any particular board. They are just making sure that the interests of their students are being protected.” However he also adds that now even after scoring 90% a student is not sure how his marks will be manipulated and shaped according to the latest policies and where he or she will stand in the merit list.
State board students this year certainly have benefited from the percentile system but there are some amongst them too who do not agree with the populist agenda. Some like Omkar Salvi, a state board student has issues with the timing of the policies. He is of the opinion that “Such policies at the last moment just leads to more pressure and stress. In case of the percentile system it took time just to understand how the system works. The best of five came out of the blue and in the long run it is the students who will pay for it.”
It would help if opinion of people related to the field of education is taken into consideration as they have a far better understanding of the situation than a politician. Mr. Acharya says, “Few years ago the state government was criticised for its inefficiency and the low percentages. Now the percentages have gone up but even 90% has lost its value as it does not necessarily mean that knowledge has been gained.” The CBSE and ICSE students cry foul every year and appeal in courts as they feel sidelined and targeted. A pattern has been developing over the past few years as after the new rules are declared all the boards are at loggerheads with each other and a court battle ensues. All the while parents and students spend sleepless nights unsure of how the situation is going to unfold.
Mrs. Suneeti Arora, a teacher at DAV Public School, Airoli, a CBSE board school takes a more pragmatic view of the situation saying that she doesn’t think that her students have been at any disadvantage. She has faith in CBSE board’s quality and believes that they have a sound base. “No system can adversely affect a determined student as they will always find ways to excel. CBSE students will always be better performers as the syllabus is so designed. They have an in depth knowledge of the subject and are able to perform better.” Her opinion is that the aim should be education and deep knowledge for all rather than anything else.
In this tussle for one upmanship between the different boards one cannot lose sight of the fact that all these students are citizens of our own country and its future torch bearers. Inculcating values and enriching their lives with knowledge should be the primary motto. Vote bank politics will not take the youth anywhere and even parents need to understand this before blindly demanding and supporting such populist measures. The final word was given by the judges of the high court when they commented that “The state seemed to have learned nothing since the past two years.”
The writer is a second year student of Mass Media, SIES College, Nerul.