Class XI session: The unholy practice

Prof. (Dr.) Dharmakanta Kumbhakar

(The writer can be reached at drkdharmakanta@yahoo.com)

 The Class X board examinations are over now. All the boards (CBSE, SEBA, ICSE, etc.) will declare the results of Class X board examinations by May end. The common admission schedule, along with the school prospectus and admission form for admission in Class XI, will be released by the government schools and most of the private schools in Assam after the declaration of Class X board results. They will begin the Class XI session in the month of June after the admission procedure is over.

However, it is seen that some reputed private schools in Assam (especially in Guwahati) have already started Class XI sessions by granting provisional admissions to the students who appeared for Class X board examinations in the months of February and March. These schools have already started the regular classes of Class XI before the Class X board results are out. The provisional admissions in Class XI are based on pre-board exam marks for the own school students and admission tests for students from other schools on the Class X syllabus. This author has records of such admission tests. The parents of the selected students for the provisional admissions have to deposit the admission fees (quite a lot of money) and an undertaking to the school authority concerned. As per the undertaking, the admissions are strictly provisional, the admission fees are non-refundable, and the admission will be cancelled if the student cannot pass the class X board examination. A few reputed coaching centres in Assam have also started regular coaching classes for Class XI before the Class X board results are out. A few coaching centres in Guwahati have also started integrated classes for Class XI in collaboration with some private schools.

This is a regular unholy practice in these private schools and coaching centres. They start the Class XI session every year in the month of April before the Class X board results are out. This unholy practice causes immense harm to the physical and mental health of the students, as well as putting an extreme financial burden on the parents. These private schools and coaching centres are causing unnecessary mental pressure on the child concerned by doing so, which ultimately hampers his or her proper physical growth and mental development. All the boards design the curriculum and timing of Class XI keeping in view the holistic and proper physical and mental development of the students. Taking the Class X board examination is a major milestone in a child’s life, during which he or she is subjected to immense mental and physical pressure. That is why a two-month break is required as a cooling-off period before he or she is jettisoned into the rigours of senior secondary school. This two-month gap also helps the child gauge and revisit his or her capabilities and make an informed decision on choosing the next stream of education, viz., science, commerce, humanities, etc.

Further, the child may play, indulge in hobbies, and travel during this exam break. In our time, we used to visit our relatives’ places during such exam breaks. This increases the bonding among the relatives. It is also unjustified to give a few students two months more time to study the Class XI curriculum than other students. Every student should get equal time to study the Class XI curriculum. Moreover, if a student becomes unable to clear the Class X board examination, the provisional admission of the student in Class XI would get cancelled as per the undertaking signed by the parents. This may create a psychological problem for the student, which may even lead to suicidal attempts.

Actually, such private schools are making wrongful monetary gains by charging admission and tuition fees for the months of April and May, starting with the with the Class XI session before the declaration of Class X board results. The parents have to pay hefty sums of money for the provisional admissions of their wards in any one stream in the existing school of their wards, as well as tuition fees for the months of April and May. The students need to buy books about their stream of education. Once the Class X board results are out, the students may prefer to take admissions to another school of their choice. If such a situation arises or any student becomes unable to pass the Class X board examination, the provisional admission will end up forfeiting the already-paid admission and tuition fees. After the Class X board examination results are released, students may choose to change their educational streams or subjects. Then the students need to buy another set of new books about their new streams of education, paying extra money. Sometimes the boards change the syllabus of Class XI after the declaration of Class X board examinations. Then the students need to buy another set of new books to cover the new syllabus. Thus, the practice of starting a Class XI session and granting provisional admission to Class XI by private schools and coaching centres before the declaration of Class X board results may cause an immense financial burden on the parents.

The government should disallow such admission in Class XI—conducted solely for monetary gains—until the Class X board results are out. The practice of granting provisional admission in class XI by private schools and coaching centres should be declared illegal. All the classes and studies of Class XI (both by private schools and coaching centres) before the declaration of Class X board results should be banned. As per reports, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) sent a notification to its affiliated schools, asking them not to begin classes for the XI standard before the declaration of Class X board examination results. Despite such a notification issued by the CBSE, these private schools in Assam (especially in Guwahati) are continuing with the practice of granting provisional admission in class XI before the class X board results are out. The boards (CBSE, SEBA, ICSE, etc.) and the education department should prohibit such schools and coaching centres from doing so. They should take the necessary steps to close such ‘teaching shops’. The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights should also take the necessary action to prohibit such malpractice to protect the rights of children. Parents should also avoid such practices.