Shortage of seats in the government, aided and unaided higher secondary schools leaves students confused

Updated on: Friday, April 26, 2013

A large number of students here are likely to be left out with no avenues to pursue higher studies this year.

The district has a significant deficit in the number of plus one seats as a record 45,192 students have qualified for higher education this year while the total number of seats in the government, aided and unaided higher secondary schools adds up to just 34,740.

Even if the seats in polytechnics, ITI, technical higher secondary and other vocational courses, numbering around 3,500, are taken into consideration, it would still leave nearly 7,000 students without any options for higher education.

The state education minister promised on Wednesday that the government would ensure enough seats to all those interested in pursuing higher studies. However, education department said that last year's strategy of allotting additional batches in schools without creating necessary infrastructure and teaching staff was faulty and would erode quality of education.

Higher secondary district coordinator P K Rajan admitted that the practice of allotting new batches in plus two schools without making provisions for appointing teachers were causing many difficulties. Also the decision to make 20 per cent seat increase in existing batches to make up for the seat deficit had resulted in jumbo classes having as many as 68 students last year.

"It is not viable to have such high number of students as it will affect the quality of classroom teaching. Also no arrangements have been made to provide salaries for the teachers who were appointed on daily wage basis as new batches has resulted in many schools finding it hard to get part time teachers," he said.

Sunil Kumar R, president of the Government Higher Secondary Teachers Association said that instead of making marginal increase in the existing batches, the government should allot new Plus One batches in the schools with necessary infrastructure and teachers. "Most of the schools lack the basic infrastructure to accommodate additional students," he added.

Shortage of seats in the government, aided and unaided higher secondary schools leaves students confused

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