Inter admissions: All-pass SSC students a new challenge for BIE

Inter admissions: All-pass SSC students a new challenge for BIE

Ratio Of Students For A Seat Higher

Preeti.Biswas@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:10.06.2020

Authorities at the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) on Tuesday said their task to accommodate seven lakh students in junior colleges will be a herculean task, specially with social distancing norms reducing the number of seats in each class by almost half.

Every year, close to five lakh students take admission in junior colleges, both government and private, but with the government deciding to promote all class X students, close to seven lakh students, including those passing out from schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council of Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (CICSE), this year, will be trying to get into junior colleges.

“We have a sanctioned strength of 8.75 lakh. However, accommodating these students, keeping in view social distancing norms, may emerge as a challenge as we may have to put a cap on the class strength the way AP government has done,” TSBIE secretary Omar Jaleel told TOI. In May, AP had issued a government order (GO) putting a cap of 40 students per class. Even TSBIE is now in the process of framing similar guidelines on accommodation of studentstion.

“Earlier, we used to sanction 88 students in each class. Now, we might have to bring it down. We are also exploring options such as introducing shifts. Second year students can attend classes in the morning shift, while the first year ones in the afternoon shift or vice versa,” Jaleel said, adding different combinations were being worked out and would be presented before the state government for a final call.

Allotment of students would also be a major challenge for TSBIE as the government has decided to promote students based on their performance in internal assessments. TSBIE fears that the ratio of students vying for a seat might be higher this year.

“If we get more applications for one seat, we will give it to meritorious students. And, if candidates score same marks, then the older candidate will be considered. We have to work out provisions for admitting students,” Jaleel added. TSBIE has also decided to expedite the admission process now, which they had earlier anticipated would commence only by August.