CHENNAI: With the lack of classroom sessions last year and no cut-throat assessment this time to segregate Class 12 students, colleges have expressed concern over the ‘quality’ of students they will have to admit this year. Some institutions have devised bridge courses to brush up their freshers’ basics, and some others have planned psychological counselling sessions to hone students’ skills.
Since Class 12 board exams could not be held due of the pandemic, the CBSE had informed that the performance of students in Classes 10, 11 and 12 would be taken into account while calculating their final score. Even the State boards are expected to devise a similar assessment method, which means the students’ average performance will be reflected in their mark sheets.
As Class 12 performance is not the ultimate yardstick this time, and conducting entrance exams may not be practical due to the Covid situation, colleges worry if the new arrangement will affect their institution’s overall performance.
“For just 3,200 undergraduate seats, so far we have received over 40,000 applications,” Loyola College principal Thomas Amirtham said. “After the results are published, the number will increase manifold. In the absence of a screening exam, it will be difficult to select students but we will focus on consistency. Along with Class 12 performance, we have asked students to upload their class X marks too,” he added
Guru Nanak College has decided to conduct a one-month-long bridge course for students of all streams. “The students studied entire Class 12 online and have not even appeared for the board exams. This raises serious question over their understanding of the basics. The main objective of the course is to bridge the gap between the lessons they studied in Class 12 and the lessons they would be studying at the graduation level,” said Guru Nanak College principal MG Ragunathan.
The focus should be more on uplifting the morale of students to enhance their performance, feels MOP Vaishnav College for Women principal Lalitha Balakrishnan.
“Our college will engage experts for conducting psychological counselling sessions for students after the admissions. We will also segregate students into small groups depending on their career choice and provide them guidance,” she added.