For a majority of class 10 students, the SSLC examination is the key building block in their path to further education and careers. On Thursday, a group of candidates appeared more nervous than the rest. For them — men and women aged between 30 and 45 — the final examination meant getting a driver’s licence and a better-paying job.
It’s what motivated 30-year-old Subbu Shetty, who dropped out of school in class 7, to sit for the board exam. “I have not touched books in years and have not even practised writing. But this year, I want to obtain a driving licence to help earn my living.”
For driving licence
Currently, to obtain a licence to operate transport vehicles, a driver needs to have cleared class 8 examinations. This has been notified by the Union government as the minimum qualification required under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. However, as it is not possible to give the exam midway, people had no choice but to sit for SSLC boards.
With much opposition from the transport sector, it was decided to do away with the minimum educational qualifications in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016, which was recently approved by the Union Cabinet, but has not yet been cleared by Parliament. Candidates like Mr. Shetty do not want to wait for the Amendment to be cleared and are gunning for an SSLC pass score.
Another candidate who was all smiles was Fairoz M. Waiting for him outside the examination hall was his wife, mother and his one-year-old son. His wife Simran F., who has completed SSLC, was his teacher. Circumstances at home made Mr. Fairoz drop out of school in class 7. “When he said he wanted to write the examination, I was thrilled and decided to do everything in my capacity to help him,” said Ms. Simran.
Garment worker Geeta, 43, decided to take the examinations to improve her job prospects. “I get paid ₹6,000 a month, which is not adequate. So, I decided to take this up as a challenge,” she said.
