THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the state general education department kickstarting the Plus-I admission process, students from CBSE and ICSE streams, who plan to shift to the state syllabus are a worried lot as the national boards are yet to declare their Class X results. The anxiety of the students and parents has increased with the department announcing that the deadline for submitting the online application for Plus-I admission is July 18. “Though there were reports that the CBSE Class X results would be announced between July 10 and 15, we are now hearing that it could be further delayed,” said a parent.
General Education Minister V Sivankutty had promised that the right of the students from CBSE and ICSE streams who seek admission in the state syllabus will be protected. In previous years when the CBSE and ICSE results were inordinately delayed, the High Court had directed the government to extend the Plus-I admission deadline based on a petition by parents of students in those streams.
Every year, thousands of students from CBSE and ICSE streams migrate to the state’s higher secondary course. While the figure was above 42,000 in 2018-19 it dipped to a little over 34,000 in 2021-22. The dip in numbers last year was primarily due to the confusion arising out of the cancellation of the Class X Board exam of 2021 owing to the raging pandemic and the board adopting an “objective criterion” to prepare the results.
“The government has clarified that it will give more weightage to merit during higher secondary Plus-I admission and bonus points will not be allowed to prevail over merit points. So this year, there is a likelihood of more CBSE and ICSE students applying for the state Plus-I course,” said a source in the general education department. The perception that the valuation method adopted for the state higher secondary course is more liberal prompts a sizeable section of CBSE and ICSE students to cross over every year.
Minister’s promise
General Education Minister V Sivankutty had promised that the right of the students from CBSE and ICSE streams who seek admission in the state syllabus will be protected.