Navigation

Vashi2Panvel.com: Navi Mumbai: June 10: The announcement by the Maharashtra State Education Board for higher and secondary education that a grade system for Std X and XII will be introduced from 2008, has got a mixed response from the students, parents and coaching classes. While the board points that this will reduce the unnecessary stress faced by the students, leading to suicide attempts by many students. This year almost 16 students have ended their life in despair, out of fear of underperformance. However when we interacted with the students and teachers of Navi Mumbai their response showed an all together different approach.

There are certain aspects linked to this policy which have a positive outlook, while others leave concerned authorities perplexed. “This will definitely reduce the importance given to the marks and the value of the result,” says Shruti Torgal, a 10th Std. Student of St.Joseph High School, Panvel. “However I will have to compensate that leniency for the entrance examination,” she adds. While there are others having a different outlook, “This will avert the students to take double tension, now we can seriously prepare for our entrance examination,” says Prajakta Upadhyay, a 11th science student of Changu Kana Thakur Vidyalaya, Panvel.

The coaching classes render a diplomatic viewpoint towards the policy. They are the ones who keep their emphasis on the need of the season. “If the government has decided upon this, we have to abide by it,” says Mr. Umakant Nelge, Director, Noble coaching classes, Nerul. “Now we will see that the students are given more scrupulous training for the competitive examination,” he emphasizes. There are others who feel that this will relax the students to an extent that they will not give required importance to the subjects. “When we were in school, did we ever sit for hours doing computer or drawing practice? No, because they were grade subjects,” says Ms. Shivani Kulkarni of Unitech classes, Vashi. “According to me the government’s move will demotivate the students to study well and score high.” she adds.

The parents who are the most concerned of all have a different stance to put across. “Our ward will now have to face entrance exam for all the courses.They will have to take exam even for the courses like B.A. and B.Com. which were earlier given on marks basis,” says Mr. Ajay Singh whose daughter is now entering Std X. There are others who feel that only time and a few batches will show the efficacy of the proposal. “Without implementation it is impossible to discuss the actual problems, after one year of execution we will get to know the exact situation,” says Ms.Kavita Kulkarni, a teacher in Mahatama Education Society. "However the Board Chairman was unable for his comments. We have to wait and see the upshot of the policy."

Smriti Mishra