Future of Low-Income Students Hangs in Balance Amid CBSE’s Decision to Cease Exams from Next Year
NEW DELHI- Hundreds of students enrolled in CBSE’s Patrachar Vidyalayas, renowned for their weekend and distance learning classes, find themselves in a state of limbo as the board gears up to halt examinations starting from the upcoming year. The decision, disclosed to With Us late last year, has sparked concerns among the student community, particularly those hailing from low-income backgrounds, who rely on the institution’s alternative educational model.
Primarily catering to children deprived of formal education, Patrachar Vidyalayas in Delhi often become the refuge for students who have faced consecutive failures in classes IX-XII, barring them from re-admission to mainstream schools.
The impetus behind the discontinuation of exams stems from the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, as revealed in official documents. Under NEP, a shift towards incorporating internal assessment, projects, and practical exams across all subjects has rendered the current examination scheme incompatible with the evolving educational landscape, according to a CBSE official.
Sources within the Delhi government have disclosed to With Us that the Directorate of Education has petitioned the CBSE to extend its affiliation with Patrachar Vidyalaya beyond 2025, citing the plight of students unable to pursue conventional schooling due to socio-economic constraints. The institution, in a bid to secure its continuity, has even offered to relinquish all special concessions granted by the board, awaiting a response that could chart the future course for its students.
Established in 1968 with a mission to provide educational opportunities to dropouts and marginalized sections of society, Patrachar Vidyalaya stands as a beacon of non-formal education. However, the CBSE contends that the Delhi government’s initiatives, such as the Delhi Model Virtual Schools and the Delhi Board of School Education (DSEB), possess the requisite expertise to cater to the educational needs of marginalized students.
Recent data accessed by The Indian Express paints a somber picture of Patrachar Vidyalaya’s academic performance, with Class X results consistently below 50% over the past three years.
Meanwhile, enrollment figures from Delhi government schools underscore the increasing reliance on alternative educational avenues, with a steady rise observed in students opting for Patrachar Vidyalaya. Despite the growing numbers, concerns loom over the fate of hundreds of students as they await clarity on their educational trajectory in the absence of traditional examinations.
As the debate unfolds, the plight of these students serves as a poignant reminder of the imperative to ensure equitable access to education for all segments of society, regardless of socio-economic barriers.