Flights Of Fantasy
[ M Panging Pao ]
The education standards in Arunachal Pradesh have improved a lot, compared to the ’60s and the ’70s. Presently, the number of schools, colleges, and universities has increased exponentially. From only one college, presently there are many universities, engineering colleges, medical college, agriculture, forestry colleges, law, BEd colleges, polytechnics, and ITIs in Arunachal. Recently, the Rashtriya Raksha University in Pasighat has also started. The literacy rates have gone up from 11 per cent to 65.38 per cent.
However, there are a few glaring challenges in the education sector. The first is regarding the future of failed students of Class 10/12. Once they fail in Class 10 or 12, the students are denied admission in regular schools. These failed students have to enrol in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for reappearing for the exams. The other option is for the failed students to join private institutes after paying large amounts of tuition fees.
Let’s look at the causes and effects of these failure cases. Most students fail because they are weak in studies or are not taught properly in schools. If these weak students are denied regular classes in schools, their chances of passing would be low. The reasons for not admitting failed students in regular schools include limitations like classroom size, desks/benches, since these schools have other feeder schools. Denied admission in regular schools, the failed students have to enrol in open schooling or enrol in private institutes for classes. The NIOS does not hold regular classes, and private institutes charge high tuition fees, which cannot be afforded by many parents/families.
The other option for failed students is to stop studies and go back to their villages and take up menial jobs, farming, etc, or get married at a young age. Class 10 failed students are just about 16-17 years old and the system does not give many options to these teenagers. Due lack of education, many young boys and girls could go astray and pick up vices like smoking, drinking, drugs, etc.
The failed students should be given at least three attempts at passing these examinations and progressing to higher studies. In 2022-’23, about 29 lakh students failed the Class 10 examinations. Twenty-nine lakhs is a huge number of failed students whose future is in jeopardy. If private institutes can enrol failed students, why can’t the government open a few schools for these failed students? By opening schools for failed students, many weak students would get another opportunity to improve their qualifications and careers.
Education is in the concurrent list; still there is no state board for education in Arunachal. The CBSE is the only board in Arunachal; other boards, like the ICSE, could also be considered, which would offer more options to our students. Another aspect is the CBSE regional office being in Guwahati (Assam) only, which troubles many parents/students to resolve issues.
The government should open a few schools for the failed students of Classes 10 and 12. The need of a state board, or allowing the ICSE should also be considered. Else, Beti Padao, Beti Bachao would not be an appropriate slogan.
(The contributor is retired Group Captain, Indian Air Force)
