Father Joe Palli Principal, Loyola High SchoolI vividly remember the incident that led to the introduction of the ATKT system in Goa at the SSC level in 1978; I happened to be there at that time. A certain Edgar Nazareth had taken admission in St. Brito's High School after having studied for many years in Africa. He did well in the examination, scoring around 65 per cent, but failed in Hindi, and thus lost a year. He went directly to the then state education minister and put forth his case. Purely on the merits of this case, the minister decided to introduce the ATKT system in schools. While it was too late for the boy in question to avail of the concession by the time the policy was changed, the system has since helped innumerable students by saving an important year of their academic lives.I endorse the introduction of this system at the SSC level, because it is of tremendous advantage to students who want to go in for higher studies but have not been able to clear the examination due to their inability to pass a certain subject. With ATKT, they can pursue the next course, provided they clear the failed subject within the ordained time limit.Take, for instance, a boy who does not have an aptitude for languages and has thus been unable to clear his Hindi or Marathi paper but has done well in science or mathematics - why should he lose out an entire year for a subject he is anyway not going to pursue later in life?The basic intention behind ATKT is the facilitation of higher studies. And if some students avail of the system to take up a job, it simply means that they can do without the certificate for their livelihood, in which case ATKT does not come into the picture. Thus their not returning to take the examination should not be a matter of concern.I am all for endorsing this system. Like any other system, it can lead to malpractices but its advantages for the student community far exceed its disadvantages.Father Kenny Misquita Principal St. Vincent's High SchoolI do not think it is a good idea to introduce the ATKT system for SSC students at this stage simply because right now there are no alternatives to this certificate. The students require the SSC qualification for any kind of a job, for their own self-confidence and for acquiring status in society. The SSC is like a passport to a job these days - it is a minimum qualification required for employment.If the government wants to introduce ATKT with the idea that the students can take up a job and then later clear the examination, it needs to be known that this cannot work. Hardly two or three students might come back to clear it after some years, and that too if they need a promotion at their place of work.Even to get into a technical institute, one requires an SSC certificate. If the government had an alternative system then it would have made sense to endorse the ATKT system at the SSC level. In that case, there is no need to wait till Std. X, those with an inclination towards arts or technical training could be branched off from Std. IX itself.Why thrust mathematics or science down the throats of those who would not be needing them even for those two extra years? Students can then go for studying their specialisations after Std. VIII itself and not waste time pursuing subjects like three different languages or others where their interests do not lie.But as things stand now, ATKT cannot work because the absence of the SSC certificate may not get the students a job in the first place, and if it does, few will consider it worthwhile to go back to clear the examination.
