THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An online entrance test for admission to Class XI even before completion of the Class X board exams! Bizarre it may sound. But this is what a few CBSE-affiliated schools in the state are up to amid the Covid-19 crisis. A few days ago, a prominent CBSE school sent out text messages to parents of students about an ‘online entrance interview’ to be attended by all those seeking admission to Class XI. “There will be questions for evaluating the competence of students in English, mathematics and science at the 10th grade level. Admission will be given only on the basis of the rank list prepared after this interview,” read the message, accessed by TNIE.
According to CBSE admission bye-laws, admission to class XI in a school shall be open only to a student who has passed the secondary school (Class X) examination conducted by the CBSE or an equivalent examination conducted by any other recognised Board of Secondary Education/Indian University and recognised by CBSE Board as equivalent to its secondary school examination.
“The CBSE bylaws clearly lay down criteria for promotion of a student from Class X to XI. If there is any violation of the bylaws, action will be taken,” Sachin Thakur, CBSE Regional Officer (Kerala and Lakshadweep) told TNIE when the matter was brought to his notice.
When contacted, the principal of the school said it was a “general practice” followed by schools for admission to Class XI when the number of applicants is very high. “It is not an entrance examination but just an online screening process,” the principal said. However, parents allege schools use the ‘screening test’ to weed out students who are weak in studies.