Mumbai: Wasim Babu Sheikh, who turned 15 on August 1, is painfully aware that others his age are in Class X while he repeats Class IX. “I should have been in Class X today. But I have taken admission in Class IX again in Tahir High School (an aided private school) after I was asked to leave New Habib High School (NHHS) for failing to be promoted to Class IX. What could I do? I was admitted to GT Hospital with dengue, and couldn’t appear for four papers. in the first semester examination. My marks were much better in the second semester, but final results are an average of both semesters’ scores, and I was unable to make the cut for Class X or even repeat Class IX in my school.”
Wasim is one of the 49 Class IX students of New Habib High School in Dongri, who failed in the 2016-17 academic year. Instead of being able to repeat the class in this academic year and prepare for the Class X board exams, they were asked to leave the school.
Shah Ahamad, principal at the BMC-run Imamwada Secondary and Higher Secondary Urdu Medium Urdu School nearby, said, “The State government made it mandatory for schools in 2016-17 to ensure students unable to clear Class IX are allowed to appear for a retest, along with tutorial support, to given them the opportunity to move up to Class X.”
He added, “The education inspector had conducted a meeting in December 2016 or January 2017 with all schools (aided, non-aided and BMC-run) at which we were informed about the new government decision for the last academic year in respect of Class IX students. Now, those unable to clear the examinations should be allowed a re-exam.”
In the first week of August, a woman who answered a call made by this reporter to the number listed for NHHS identified herself as Yasmin, and said, “These students couldn’t clear their Class IX exams under the old syllabus. I have four divisions and 250 students in Class VIII, while there are only three divisions for Class IX.”
When it was pointed out that the Bombay High Court had recently suggested making Mathematics an optional subject in Class X, she said these 49 students would be allowed a re-exam on August 10, 2017. Wasim says he had prepared for the re-examination conducted August 10 to August 14 but couldn’t clear them. “I had studied well, but I didn’t know the answers. The question papers were apparently based on the new syllabus introduced this academic year. Of the 49 students who failed, six of us appeared for the retest, but flunked.”
A spokesperson for the BMC-run JR Municipal Mumbai Public English School, also located nearby, said, “As per the government rules, students have to be academically encouraged and passed till they reach the eight standard.”
Wasim’s mother Salma said, “For us parents, the challenges are different. Earlier [at NHHS] we were paying ₹3,500 a year in school fees. Now [at Tahir High School] we are paying ₹600 per month. I only want my child, who is very interested in studies, to be able to complete his Class X exams. I don’t want my child to add to the list of school dropouts.”
