VIJAYAWADA: The decision of the State government to shift the 10th class students of 1,000 CBSE schools to the SSC Board for the 2024-25 final assessment has sparked a new debate.
In his orders, Director of School Education V Vijay Rama Raju stated that the shift aims to avoid academic disruption, and give students and teachers more time to prepare for the transition to the CBSE curriculum in the future. He also mentioned plans for a gradual transition to CBSE, starting from the 6th class in the next academic year to ensure a smooth adaptation process for both students and teachers.
YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s criticism of the move on the social media platform ‘X’ has further intensified the discussion. Though the decision is likely to provide some relief to teachers and students, it has raised significant concerns among the parents and education experts.
Speaking to TNIE, Narahari, State president of the Parents’ Association of Andhra Pradesh (PAAP), strongly disapproved of the government’s mid-year shift from CBSE to SSC. He felt that such changes should not be based on political preferences. Referring to the recent assessment tests where over 64% of CBSE students failed, he underlined the need for re-examining the system rather than making sudden changes.
Admitting ‘flaws’ in the CBSE system, Vijaya Bhaskar, a parent from Tirupati, opposed its abrupt cancellation. He urged the government to focus on addressing issues and improving teacher training instead of shifting students to the SSC mid-year, which he feared may affect students’ performance in examinations like JEE and NEET.
One of the major changes in the shift is the reintroduction of Telugu syllabus, which is being implemented in SSC Board schools. Except for Telugu, all other subjects are based on NCERT syllabus, similar to CBSE. Hence, the schools have been directed to conduct additional Telugu classes for students without disrupting the rest of the academic schedule.
Welcoming the State government’s move, Venkatesh, a student leader, pointed out that though CBSE and SSC use the NCERT syllabus, the CBSE exam pattern is generally more challenging. He also mentioned that the introduction of a new Telugu textbook mid-year may put unnecessary stress on both students and teachers, who have already completed six chapters from the old book.
Former MLC Vitapu Balasubrahmanyam expressed shock over the government’s decision, stating that it seems the authorities have failed to address the issues faced by both teachers and students in their efforts to improve the pass percentage in CBSE. He questioned the government’s rationale behind such a sudden shift.
The former MLC pointed out that students have been taught the CBSE curriculum for the past three years, and are prepared for the CBSE assessment. “If the government assesses them under the SSC Board, 90% of the students may fail, then what will the government do then?” he asked.
Subrahmanyam also raised concern about how students, who are already struggling to face the CBSE exams, will perform better under the SSC Board without adequate preparation. “It is always better to consult education experts, student union leaders, parents and other stakeholders before taking such major decisions,” the former MLC opined.