The State government’s plan to tentatively go ahead with SSLC examinations in the third week of July and hold two papers in a multiple choice format has thrown a spanner in the works for the I pre-university (PU) admission process.
With Central boards cancelling their Class 10 board exams, many private PU colleges had started the admission process taking into consideration Class 9 marks and Class 10 internal assessments and preparatory exam scores. Now, they will have to wait for the government to hold the SSLC exams and declare the results.
PU college managements feel that SSLC students may be at a disadvantage when compared to their peers from CBSE and ICSE schools. They pointed out that it will not be an even playing field as Central board students will be scored only on the basis of their internal assessments and earlier exam marks, while SSLC students will have to appear for their examination.
“The Central boards have decided to be lenient this year while grading their students. But only SSLC students will have to appear for an exam. It will be unfair on them,” said the principal of a private PU college.
SSLC students will have to appear for a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) paper, which has also been criticised. “Questions that require long descriptive answers are the best way to assess students and conducting MCQs won’t serve any purpose,” said Pramila S., a parent.
R. Snehal, Director of the Department of Pre-University Education, said that she has learnt that many PU colleges have started the admission process. She warned the colleges not to breach reservation for various categories.
