NIOS U-turn: Students can now take ‘scrapped’ exam

The controversy first surfaced when students discovered that the subject they opted for was suddenly deemed inapplicable to their level. Representation pic/istock

Two days after mid-day highlighted confusion over exam eligibility, officials have clarified that students can take the subject they enrolled in and paid for. In a significant development, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) board has reversed its stance and confirmed that students enrolled in the Employability Skills (250) subject will be allowed to appear for the exam. This comes just two days after the confusion and uncertainty faced by several students who were told the subject was meant only for ITI students - despite having registered and paid for it last year.

As per the exam timetable released by the board, the Employability Skills exam is scheduled for May 19, making it the last exam on the list. An NIOS board spokesperson confirmed the latest update, stating, "Yes, it is for ITI, but if students have opted for it, they will get to appear for the exam. There might have been some miscommunication. But students and parents need not worry - the exam will happen. Under the new National Education Policy (NEP), students are allowed to opt for cross-faculty subjects. The timetable has also been released."

Portal still non-functional

However, educators associated with NIOS centres continue to raise concerns, claiming that the Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA) portal for the Employability Skills subject remains non-functional. TMAs, which carry 20 per cent of the total marks for the subject, were due for submission in January.

"The TMA upload section for Employability Skills is still not working. The subject appears on the portal, but there is no link to access or upload assignments. Students were supposed to submit these in January, and the delay is beyond their control. If the board says students can appear for the exam, what about the TMAs? The assignments carry 20 marks," said Agnelo Pinto, a NIOS tutor.

Poor communication

The controversy first surfaced when students enrolled in the Secondary Course (Stream 1, Block 1 - 2024-25) discovered that the subject they had opted for - Employability Skills (250) - was suddenly deemed inapplicable to their level. This was despite having enrolled, paid fees in May 2024, and received admission confirmations.

Weeks before board exams, students were sent an email stating that the subject was only meant for ITI students, despite no prior official communication. The board's helplines and official responses offered little clarity for weeks, worsening the confusion.

‘Unfair and Irresponsible'

"This has caused a lot of confusion and stress. We need clarity on whether we will be allowed to take the exam or if any alternative solutions will be provided," read a letter from one of the affected students.

Pinto, speaking on behalf of concerned students, said, "As soon as we discovered through an email reply from the board that the course was meant for ITI students, we immediately sought clarification. However, we received no official response - only internal emails where officials told each other to ‘take note' of the issue." Meanwhile, students were left in limbo.

"The board had earlier informed us that the subject wasn't meant for NIOS students, and now they're calling it a miscommunication. In their response to my email dated February 26, they clearly stated that ‘Employability Skills (250) was discontinued for general students and will be available only for ITI students.' Given that, plus the non-functional Tutor Marked Assignment portal and no further communication from the board, what are we supposed to make of it? This is both unfair and irresponsible."

He further pointed out that neither the board's grievance redressal system nor the helpline number on the website works. "Neither I nor the students have received any reply regarding the Employability Skills subject to date. The helpline number mentioned on the NIOS website goes unanswered," he said.

While the NIOS board has now clarified that students can appear for the exam, concerns over assignment submission and portal functionality persist. With exams just around the corner, both students and educators hope the board will act swiftly to resolve the issue.