The Kerala State Literacy Mission has recorded a remarkable jump in the number of candidates appearing for its equivalency examinations.
In the latest round, 19,950 candidates sat for the fourth standard equivalency exam and 14,950 candidates for the seventh standard equivalency exam. Compared to 2017-18, the candidates for the fourth standard equivalency has more than tripled. The numbers for the seventh standard equivalency test also have more than doubled, Mission authorities said on Monday. In 2016-17, only 2,084 examinees had sat for the fourth standard exam, while 4,040 sat for the class seven equivalency exam. In 2017-18, it rose, respectively, to 5,796 and 5,437.
The Mission attributed this rise to a July 4, 2018, government order making the Class 12 equivalency exam certificate a qualifying document for higher studies and promotion.
19,950 candidates
Majority of the 19,950 candidates — 12,800 in all — who sat for the fourth standard equivalency test this year are women.
The candidates also included 3,800 belonging to the Scheduled Caste communities and 800 from the Scheduled Tribes. Meenakshi Amma, 88, who sat for the exam at Balussery in Kozhikode is the oldest candidate.
Partheep, 15, who sat for the exam in Ramanattukara, Kozhikode, is the youngest. Twenty-six prisoners too wrote the exam.
Of the 14,950 examinees for the Class 7 standard equivalency test, 8,244 were women, while 1,250 hailed from SC communities and 220 from ST communities. Kallu, 86, who sat for the exam in Panur block in Kannur is the oldest candidate, and J. Amal, 16, of Kottayam, the youngest.
Candidates passing the fourth standard equivalency can continue their studies in the seventh standard equivalency.
Successful seventh standard equivalency candidates will be eligible to attend the tenth standard equivalency course.
