BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has lifted the ban on admission to 26 vocational higher secondary schools. The ban was imposed in June this year due to the poor enrolment of students in 2018. The student strength in each of these schools was two to three in the previous academic session.
The Directorate of Vocational Education in its letter to deputy directors in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and Sambalpur stated that the restriction imposed on these schools have been lifted in the interest of students. It also clarified that enrolment of students in these schools will be reviewed next year and admission process blocked from the next academic session if it was found to be below the set standards. Officials of the directorate said Government vocational schools are allowed to continue only if they have at least two trades with a minimum strength of eight students per trade.
However, for trades concerning computer techniques, the minimum student strength has to be 12 and the directorate’s decision to shut down 14 vocational higher secondary schools where admission was nil for the last three years will remain unchanged. Apart from these vocational schools, the Government closed 966 primary schools due to poor enrolment this year.