BHUBANESWAR: When the Higher Education Department decided to separate Plus Two from Plus Three and bring it under the purview of School and Mass Education Department, the idea was to improve the standard of junior college students by bringing them under a schooling system.
The initiative, however, is serving no purpose as teaching and learning hours have not been increased under the new system even as two months have passed since the new academic session (2016-17) began.
Apparently, expect for the curriculum that has been designed on the lines of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the nomenclature, there has been no change in the teaching pattern of 10+2 (earlier called Plus Two). Only 80 classes are being held under the new system as compared to 240 classes mandated under the school system. Making things worse is the large-scale vacancies in teacher posts.
At least 240 classes are required in each subject in an academic year to complete the revised 10+2 course in all the three streams of Science, Arts and Commerce. However, teachers of 10+2 are able to take just 80 classes in the current set-up.
Similarly, the mandatory 30 teaching weeks for Plus Two are not possible at present due to various reasons including students’ union elections and unrest on campuses. “Ideally in the school set-up, students are supposed to get more classes and workload on teachers is much less. If we want to train our students as per the CBSE pattern to enable them to appear for National-level examinations, 240 classes for each theory paper in a year is a must,” said CHSE Chairman Basudev Chattoi.
Earlier, the Higher Education Department had mandated at least 25 classes a week by every teacher of Plus Two colleges but in the revised system which is based on CBSE pattern, teachers are supposed to take 30 classes a week to complete the syllabus on time.
Admitting to the problem, Secretary of School and Mass Education Department Ranjana Chopra said the State Government is aware of the issue and is working towards increasing the teaching and learning hours as per recommendations sent by the CHSE.