The correspondence course under the Council for Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) could have drawn more students, but official apathy is coming in the way. In this computer age, there is sheer lack of information about the course in the CHSE website.
The correspondence course for Arts and Commerce streams for junior colleges was started by CHSE last year to benefit the students who could not undertake regular courses. In the first year, out of 1,023 applicants, 592 passed the entrance to join the course. This year, more than 5,000 students have already taken admission. Admission for the academic year 2012-13 is underway and it will conclude on September 25. Then the picture will be clear on student intake.
But, getting information about the course is a tough task. ‘’The programme is still in a nascent stage. We will very soon update the information in the CHSE website. We are also planning to dispatch the course material this year by post to the zonal offices from where the students can collect it,’’ said examination controller Jasobant Behera.
At present, three section officers are in charge of the course. But, with a jump of 4,500 in student intake in just one year, an independent department will be needed soon, said an expert.
Even the website is completely silent on the syllabus. According to a CHSE official, interested the students approach the council directly.