TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Classes for Std XI commenced Monday but many students are stranded without being admitted to higher secondaries as these institutions are unable to cope with the deluge of students who passed Std X this year following the implementation of the Right to Education Act.
Two weeks after the Std X results were declared students are still out in the cold despite promises by the ruling dispensation that higher secondaries would not start without admitting all students.
While the education department believes that all issues concerning Std XI admissions have been dealt with, it has adopted a wait and watch attitude as the picture would be clearer this weekend, said officials.
“At least six to seven higher secondary institutions have been allowed to increase the number of divisions for Science,” said Anil Powar, the additional director of education.
The divisions for Science have been increased from two to three in some cases and from four to five in others.
Several institutions have also increased their seats for Science from 50 to 65 and in Arts and Commerce from 50 to 62 or from 50 to 70.
With the increased intake and new divisions added, some higher secondary institutions have had to make major changes in their schedules by shifting working hours for certain streams to the afternoon.
Principal of Fr Agnel’s Higher Secondary Institution, Verna, Bruno Carvalho said, “We have a large number of applicants on the waiting list this year.”
Carvalho said that it has no more room for students seeking admissions or for those on the waiting list.
While this was the case in several other South Goa institutions, Herald has learnt that even though Chowgule College has confirmed admissions for Science there have been no withdrawal of students who have already sought admissions in other institutions in and around Margao. “As a result of which we cannot even help anyone still in distress,” Carvalho said.
Principal of St Xavier’s Higher Secondary, Mapusa, Elvis Gonsalves said, “We have done our best to accommodate as many students as we could.”
He pointed out that this year admissions were strictly on first come first served basis and candidates with high percentages had to be rejected.
Gonsalves said that it has taken 65 students per division for Science as against the earlier quota of 50 and also increased its divisions for Science from four to five.
Likewise in Commerce and Arts stream it has enrolled 70 students in each of its divisions (Commerce 3 and Arts 2) as against the earlier quota of 50.
He also said that this year the rush for admissions was so high for students of Goa Board alone that others from Maharashtra Board and the National Open Schooling could not be accomodated.
Most of the Principals of higher secondary institutions whom Herald spoke to said that students have got admissions but not in institutions of their choice.
Another Principal of a higher secondary institution in North Goa said that students are still trying their luck by making enquiries on a daily basis even though they have secured admissions elsewhere.
The President of the Higher Secondary Principals Forum Sudan Barve said, “We will be convening a meeting sometime this week to take stock of the situation as far as Std XI admissions are concerned.” He said that it was difficult to assess as to how many are still left out of the system.
Barve said that higher secondary institutions in rural areas have reported lower enrolment. He enlisted five such institutions one each in Mandrem, Verem, Pirna, Old Goa and Mayem which still have vacant seats.
