The government has decided to specify a cut-off mark for students
The government has decided to specify a cut-off mark for
students who want to study science after their Madhyamik exams from next year. Neither
will students be allowed to opt for the stream if they don’t qualify, nor will any
school have the right to deny them their choice of stream if they do.
The decision came after the government noticed several schools reserving science
seats for students from other schools. Most schools refuse to give admissions to
students in the science stream citing low marks and force them to take up humanities
or commerce subjects. The seats in the science stream are then offered to external
candidates. Students who are eager to study science then queue up in front of other
schools, said a school education department official.
So from next year, we will decide on a cut-off percentage say around 75% to 80%
for admissions in the science stream. If a student meets the cut-off in Madhyamik,
the school will be bound to offer them science. In no way can schools then ask these
students to opt for other streams or move to other schools. Schools will have to
give preference to their own students who qualify, the official added. The matter
has been taken up by school education minister Bratya Basu and he may soon pass
an order, the official confirmed.
Currently, only government schools are bound by a law. They have to reserve 50%
seats in each stream for their own students and the rest for external candidates.
It is a wise policy, said the vice-president of Government School Teachers Association,
Deepak Das.
Welcoming the government move, a senior teacher of a government school felt good
students should always be allowed to study science if he or she so wishes. By setting
very high cut-off marks to lure the best students, an institution should not discourage
its own students from taking up science. Another problem is that several schools
allow direct admission to external students, thus blocking seats. Several of these
students take admission in more than one school. The money is non-refundable. So,
their parents lose money while schools make profit, the teacher added.
Arijit Mitra, the principal of Nava Nalanda High School, said he had not
yet received a circular. However, I believe there’s a seat crisis in science stream.
So, it’s better if the cut off is around 85% or there won’t be enough seats to accommodate
all students, he added
Courtesy: Times of India
