Coming soon, single window counselling for Class XI in Tamil Nadu?

By Ram M Sundaram  |  Express News Service  |   Published: 14th June 2017 04:35 AM  |  

CHENNAI: The State government is considering the idea of introducing a single-window counselling system for admission to Class XI, based on board exam scores in Class X.

On the lines of engineering and medical counselling, the application process would be made online and intake for various streams would be based on a common merit list prepared by the government.

The news of the proposal comes even as the government has announced several key measures to reform school education in the State.

“Inspired by similar models existing in states like Chhattisgarh, the State school education department officials have studied the possibility of implementing such a system from the 2018-19 academic year,” said a highly-placed government source. A final call on the matter would be taken after obtaining the consent of Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami.

Before undertaking such a procedure, there are many issues that have to be settled; like for instance whether the counselling would be conducted at educational district-level or revenue taluk-level, as there is a possibility of students being pushed to far-off places if the counselling is held for wider areas.
School education minister KA Sengottaiyan had earlier announced that new educational districts would be introduced soon for better administration. School education secretary T Udhayachandran was unavailable for comment on the status of this proposal.

It is learnt that talks were also underway to bring 50 per cent seats in private institutions under the State board as part of the proposed common counselling. This move comes in the backdrop of several schools not following communal reservation norms and denying students to choose the stream of their choice.

“For instance, this year many students, who opted for commerce-accountancy group because of the NEET controversy and poor engineering placements, were forced to take up bio-maths or computer science,” said a government school teacher from Coimbatore.

At present, more than 275 course-options are available for students seeking Class XI admissions. But majority stick to four or five groups. Educationist Prince Gajendra Babu said if the department were to introduce single-window counselling, almost all options should be made available for students, and high schools should be upgraded as higher secondary schools in areas where the demand is high.

Minister Sengottaiyan had announced that ‘major’ reforms would be introduced on day two of the upcoming assembly session that is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. Government sources added that out of the 40-odd reforms proposed, a few sensitive ones could be dropped given the political climate in the State.

Express had earlier reported on the possible reforms including making it mandatory for government employees to enrol their wards in government schools and not allowing government school teachers to work in the same school for more than five years.

School should wind up assemblies in 10 minutes

Tamil Nadu government has instructed all government schools to wind up the morning assembly sessions within 10 minutes, and to completely do away with 20-minute classroom prayers. According to the new order, 10 minutes was given on all working days except Monday for reciting Tirukkural couplets, singing state anthem (Tamil Thai Vaazhththu), national anthem, reading out news (Tamil and English) and birthday celebrations. However on Mondays, an additional seven minutes has been allotted for flag hoisting (two minutes), singing the flag song (two minutes), teachers’ speech (two minutes) and pledge (one minute).