'Exclude marks given to SSC students for art, sports too'

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Admissions to Std XI are likely to get stuck over the internal assessment row which is slowly gathering steam, with the state education minister declaring on Tuesday that he will soon approach the Ministry of Human Resource Department (MHRD) and ICSE and CBSE board authorities, and take a final call on excluding the internal assessment marks given to non-state board candidates from the final results. However, parents of non-state board students have now started complaining about the additional marks given to state board candidates for their achievements in the field of art and sports. They are of the view that even these marks should be excluded if the minister aims to bring about a level playing field for the admissions.

Also Read: For non-SSC students, internal marks won't count

Practice discontinued

After the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination results turned out to be poor this time, the state received a lot of flak for it. Students, parents and even teachers blamed it on the absence of internal assessment, which has been the norm for the past eight years. However, the state board stopped the practice of adding 20 marks from the internal assessment to the final results from this year.

Following this the state education minister on Tuesday held a meeting with experts and said that he would approach the departments concerned and take a final decision in the matter. However, this has not gone down well with the parents of students studying under ICSE and CBSE boards.

Anubha Sahai, president of India Wide Parents' Association, said, "We strongly oppose the move. The education minister cannot interfere with the administerial work of other boards. Whenever we approach the state board with fee-related issues, we are told that they have no say in non-state board matters, then how can the minister interfere at the last moment and cause chaos in the admission process?" Rajeev Shah, a parent from Mulund, said, "Why should state board candidates be given additional marks for art and sport achievements? Those should also be cancelled."

Also Read: SSC results 2019: This Mumbai student gets 35 marks in all subjects!

Against the move

Speaking to mid-day, Uday Nare, teacher from Hansraj Morarji School in Andheri said, "Parents and teachers including principals of non-state board schools are strongly opposing the move. The move can be challenged in court too as there is no scope to make such changes in the last moment. This will be injustice to the students who have worked throughout the year." Principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya, Deepshikha Shrivastava added, "This will be unfair to the non-state board school students. If such a decision is taken, then their entire year's efforts will go in vain."

Also Read: SSC results 2019: Ragpicker's daughter gets 85 percent

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