Heads of a number of government higher secondary schools apparently have their fingers crossed as the students face the prospect of appearing for the public examinations without completion of the full portions.
At least 20% to 30% of the portions could not be completed due to combination of factors including the high number of holidays during the festive season in recent months, and faculty shortage due to which teachers of neighbouring schools had to be deputed.
It is another matter that not all teachers are forthcoming about doing justice to the upgraded syllabi, which, when handled with dedication, would prepare students to a significant extent for NEET and JEE, according to a senior headmaster of a school in Thottiyam block.
The upgraded syllabi, according to the school head, requires adequate preparation on the part of the teachers since it tests the students’ grasp of concepts, rather than rote learning.
There is not much time left. Public exams for Class 10 will be conducted from April 6 to 20, for Plus One from March 14 to April 5 and for Plus Two from March 13 to April 3.
The refrain of the teachers has been that the syllabi was voluminous and there were difficulties in drawing the students’ attention after the COVID-19 lockdown period.
The new syllabi revised by the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) after a time gap of 12 years for higher secondary (classes XI and XII) school and after seven years for classes I to X is what stands the students in good stead to avail the utility of the 7.5 percent horizontal reservation for admission in medical colleges on the basis of their score in NEET.
The new curriculum framework was drafted after a number of public hearings across the State for incorporation of the views of several hundreds of experts and teachers.
It is a tricky situation, school heads say. On the one hand, the teachers find the time insufficient to complete the portions, and, on the other, knowledge of the entire textual content is necessary for students to be in the reckoning to secure admission in medicine and in premier technical institutions such as IITs and NITs.
In many schools, the authorities are known to be battling the notes culture. There are also instances of teachers walking the extra mile and conducting special classes to do justice to the portions. However, such instances are far and few between, said a senior teacher in a rural school, requesting anonymity.
