CHILDREN SHOPPING- THE BANE OF CBSC SCHOOLS

The Concerned Citizens Committee, Chennai consists of persons from all walks of life – leadings educationists, social scientists, medical and legal professionals and concerned citizens - who are all concerned about ensuring ‘education with dignity’ for our children. The Forum has been formed in the context of the increasing trend in many schools, particularly those affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), indulging in ‘Children shopping’ and the consequent emotional trauma caused to young students.

         This issue of immediate concern to the Forum is the selection criteria practiced by CBSE affiliated schools for admission of class X students into class XI. Schools are restricting admission to their own students of class X into class XI by stipulating a cut - off level of marks in class 10 school examinations. This is resulting in a considerable number of students being denied admission into class XI and compelling these students to seek admission elsewhere.

         The result is that students, who have been with a particular school from primary classes, are suddenly denied admission by their own school in class XI. This is having disastrous consequences on the psychological well being of all the children. Those who are denied admission are consumed by a deep sense of rejection and cases of children going into depression and even attempting suicide have been reported.

         Many schools make provisional admissions to Class XI based on the half yearly exams held in December. This pre-judgment of the children’s capabilities is demoralizing and demotivating for most students who feel  it’s a futile exercise to work for the Std X  Board exams.

       It is disconcerting to know that in schools in Chennai even admission forms for their students are denied if students do not secure 90% marks in the half-yearly exams for admission to  the Sciences stream. Apart from the inherent arbitrariness of such practices, the prioritizing of science over arts and commerce devalues the importance of non-science streams.

    Such policies go against the proclaimed policy of the CBSE which envisions a ‘student centered paradigm. The Supreme Court of India in the case of Principal, Cambridge School V. Payal Gupta, has held that any school denying admission of its own Class X students to class XI is illegal.  It is interesting to note that the CBSE rules provide that even in the case of students who fail the Std. X exam, they should be admitted to the same school in Class XI on  the condition that they clear the compartment exams in July/ August of the same year.

As members of society we too bear a responsibility to let School Managements know that such unhealthy, unfair practices cannot continue and should be stopped forthwith. We have addressed representations to the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, the Union Home Minister, the CBSE Chairperson and are also addressing similar representations to all the CBSE schools in the city. We are hopeful  that the achools will see reason and discontinue such student unfriendly  and discriminatory  practices.

  Through this press note we call upon parents and concerned citizens to challenge such practices. We also call upon agencies, both State and Central, to be more vigilant about such matters.

Concerned Citizen’s Committee, Chennai.
Hussaina Manzil, III Floor, 255, Angappa Naicken Street, Chennai 600 001
Ph: 25352459: E: Mail: rightstn@yahoo.com

Convenors

 Prof. Anandalakshmi, Dr. Theodore Bhaskaran, Dr. Vijaj Nagaswami
Thiru Mohan Raman, Dr. V. Suresh