Confusion about what next after HSC Results
For many urban, middleclass teenagers, the importance of
the HSC examination is a bit like the emperor’s new clothesit doesn't exist.
It’s one of those open secrets that parents and teachers aren't too keen on discussing,
for fear that students won’t take their exams seriously. The truth is, over a decade
ago, the HSC exam was possibly the most important examination in your life. It dictated
the future course of your career as well as the field you wanted to join. Today,
the exam has little bearing on what you want to do in life. Around 10 years ago,
when entrance to medical and engineering institutions was based on the students
HSC scores, it was imperative to score well at the exam. Today, with most professional
courses conducting their own entrance tests, there is little need for sky-high marks
at the HSC exam.
The Council of CHSE was formed to regulate, control and develop Higher Secondary
Education in the State of Orissa. Though the administrative function council commenced
from 7 September 1982, in a rented building at Goutam Nagar, Bhubaneswar. But after
some years the council constructed its own administrative building in Samantapur,
Bhubaneswar and started functioning in its own Infrastructure from 2 January 1996.
The new name of the campus is being christened as Prajnapitha.
As for those who want to pursue bachelors, getting into degree college is not too
tough, especially since colleges have to take in all in-house students who appeared
for the HSC exam from the same college. Recently, a student got into one of the
most coveted science courses at a popular city college, despite scoring only 45%
at the HSC, because she was from the same college.
When it comes to the science stream, so many in-house students leave college after
Class 12 to join a professional course that there are several seats left for students
from other colleges as well. The weekend before the HSC exam, I spent half the day
revising for the Common Entrance Test (CET). While
I am very nervous about how I perform at the CET, the HSC really doesn't worry me
too much. I've seen the kind of tension that my brother went through while giving
the exams eleven years ago. I am far more relaxed than he was, says Daksh Joshi,
a student who gave the HSC exams this year.
In addition to the fact that the exam itself is gradually losing its value, Praveen
Tyagi, managing director of an IIT coaching class, feels that the level of knowledge
tested in the HSC is very basic and the questions asked are extremely easy for bright
students who are preparing for competitive exams.
Dr. Nirmala Rao, a psychiatrist, has also noticed
a decrease in the number of students who seek counseling before the HSC exam. She,
however, hastens to add that students are under a great deal of pressure, especially
from their parents. While students themselves feel there are many options available
for them, their parents insist on them scoring well at the HSC exam, she adds. Rao
cautions students against taking the HSC too lightly. She recalls a couple of instances
where students got great scores in the CET for engineering, but scored less than
50% at the HSC, and were unable to qualify for an engineering college.
Courtesy: Times of India
