Fate of 5.5 lakh CBSE students in balance

Over 5.5 lakh Std X CBSE students who opted for the school-based assessment test introduced by the board this year may not be able to apply for admission to the state board’s junior colleges.

The deputy director of the state education department said that the students may have to enroll at CBSE-affiliated schools for Std XI. They will not be considered for admission to junior colleges that follow the HSC system. What’s worse, there are only around 36 CBSE-affiliated schools in the city.

“Only those students who took the Std X board exam can secure admission for Std XI under the HSC system. This is because they have been marked by their school, and it is not fair to bring them on the same platform with the others. It will lead to unhealthy competition amongst students,” said a senior education official.

He added that the CBSE board had stated in a circular on May 31 that school-based evaluation under the Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation scheme is for students who do not wish to move out of the CBSE system after Std X.

On June 2, CBSE authorities had made a presentation before the education minister to explain the new school-based assessment system. The board has decided that the grades of students seeking admission to state colleges will be converted into percentages. But senior officials from the education department said that the CBSE authorities did not demand that students who have opted for the school-based assessment be given admission to the state board’s colleges.

However, principals of CBSE schools in the city pointed out that the report cards for both categories of examinees — those who took the board exam and those who opted for the school-based assessment — were the same and that grades of students seeking admission to state colleges would be converted into percentages.

“It is unfair that the Maharashtra board is discriminating against students. All students have worked equally hard and deserve to be given equal opportunities,” said Deepshikha Srivastava, principal, Rajhans Vidyalaya, Andheri. “The CBSE board has not differentiated between these students. How will the state education department even identify which mark sheets belong to students who opted for the school-based assessment?”

According to a senior education official, the education department has sent a letter to the CBSE board office in Delhi, calling for a separate list of candidates who took the board exam and those who chose the school-based assessment.