THE TELANGANA Higher Education Department is reviewing the effectiveness of its online classes after more than half the Intermediate students (Classes 11 and 12) failed the first-year or Class 11 exam, results for which were declared on Thursday. The students are now in Class 12 or second year, having been promoted en masse in April as the final exam could not be held in April due to Covid.
Only 49% of the students cleared the exam, held by the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) between October 25 and November 3. Students from private institutes with better access to the Internet and digital devices fared better compared to those in government ones. Many in these institutes, known as junior colleges, in rural areas failed in all the subjects.
The students who have failed have to clear the subjects they could not pass in, along with the final exam for second-year or Class 12 to be held next year.
The Students Federation of India has been holding protests saying the students should not be made to pay a price for the lack of effective teaching during online classes.
Syed Omer Jaleel, Secretary, TSBIE, told The Sunday Express that they will hold a review of their online classes programme. “I do not think there is any problem with the content, but there is some problem with how it is being grasped by students,” Jaleel said, adding that apart from telecasting classes on Doordarshan and over the TSBIE YouTube channel, teachers held Zoom classes with students.
One of the students told The Sunday Express that they did not expect the “harsh evaluation”. “We were given the impression that it was enough to appear for the exam and the Board would give pass marks,” said the student, adding that he failed in Physics, and that all of his friends failed at least one subject.
A total of 4,59,242 students appeared for the exam – 4,09,911 in the general stream and 49,331 in vocational. While 1,99,786 students passed in the general stream, 24,226 vocational students passed. Girls fared better in both streams, with 56% oif them passing. An official said: “1,15,538 students secured A grade, which is a good sign.”
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ExplainedLoss of learning
The exams were the first serious test after educational institutions closed on March 25 last year. The results indicate a serious loss of learning among a section of the students.
Education Minister Sabita Reddy said they view the results positively. “In spite of all the difficulties due to the pandemic, the students have done well. We will reevaluate all this. Many students want to get their answer sheets reverified, and I have directed that the reverification fee be reduced by 50%. Students can also take the exam again,” Reddy said.
T Nagaraj, Secretary of the SFI, which is sitting on protest outside the TSBIE headquarters in Hyderabad, said: “A majority of the students who failed are from government junior colleges living in rural areas who did not have proper access to Internet and digital devices. Many complained that online classes were not enough. They said they could not focus during these classes, and did not grasp much of what was taught. We were flooded with complaints from hundreds of students when the Board announced the exam.”
Nagaraj said many students also took the exam lightly, as they had already been promoted to the next class.
N Naryana, the president of the Telangana Parents’ Association, said they wanted the government to pass all those who had failed. “We are submitting a memorandum to the Education Minister that they conduct reverification and give pass marks. Otherwise, it will affect the morale of the students and they will face the burden of clearing the first-year backlog with the second-year exams.”
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The TSBIE said its counsellors have been approached by students talking about the circumstances or atmosphere at their home not being conducive for online classes. They have also complained about teachers not introducing subjects properly and not giving enough opportunities to clear doubts.
As part of the review exercise, the Education Department will look at the need to re-train lecturers, to monitor students’ attendance, and to keep a watch on how much they were grasping.
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