Following suicides by two students, a state-wide agitation has been launched by students’ groups across Telangana as about 51% of the Intermediate students (2020-21 batch) failed to clear the first-year exams in the state. The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) not arranging a supplementary exam this year, owing to the tight academic schedule caused by the COVID-19 situation has also aggravated student unions. The Board has reiterated that they will only conduct the supplementary exams for those students who failed to clear the exams in April 2022 – which protesting students say is a disastrous decision that could lead to more distress among students, and potentially, suicides.
On Friday, December 17, student groups – Students Federation of India and Progressive Democratic Students Union and National Students' Union of India – protested at the TSBIE office in Nampally alleging that the Board failed in conducting evaluation in a fair manner.
“How can a student prepare for both first and second-year exams at the same time? If a student is applying for Engineering Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test (EAMCET), they also have to focus on that. Students will be busy with competitive exams in second year, so will they be able to handle so much pressure to prepare for multiple exams being held at the same time?” questioned, T Nagaraju Telangana Secretary, SFI.
“The Board should have given one or two marks to those who got grace marks and promoted them. Instead, they have failed those students, and asked them to appear for the exam after three months when they would be focusing on competitive exams,” Nagaraju said. The protesting students’ groups have also demanded the government to consider the internal assignments submitted by the students and give at least passing marks.
“Without conducting classes properly, just a month earlier, the teachers told us to prepare for the first-year exams, while simultaneously taking second year classes. It was chaotic to study for both the years. We were confused,” said a student who participated in the protest.
The 2020-21 batch students were provisionally promoted to second year in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the exams were held in October this year. Physical classes could be held only for 23 days and were shifted to online mode, which particularly affected the students studying in government colleges, who come from marginalized socio-economic backgrounds without access to resources like mobile phone, internet and computer which are essential for digital education. “The teachers did not finish the syllabus, and classes were held online. I did not have a smartphone at that time,” asked a protesting Intermediate student.
“Not even 50% students have passed the exam, doesn’t it reflect the failure of the Board? Until December 15, 2021, 1,782 lecturer posts were vacant in the 404 government junior colleges. Without any proper lecturers, they conducted online classes. So how do they expect students to perform?” asked Nagaraju. “Does the government have any data about how many students had smartphones to pursue education online?” he added.
“Already two students have killed themselves. Who is responsible for their deaths? In April, when the students appear for both first and second-year exams together, they will undergo much more stress and we fear it could increase the risk of student suicides,” Nagaraju said.
TSBIE issues statement
Following the protests, the TSBIE issued a statement on Friday. “To help the students cope with examinations, the syllabus in each subject was reduced to 70% and choices in question papers were also increased. In addition, basic learning material was prepared and placed on TSBIE website and YouTube channel,” TSBIE said. Stating that the examination results were processed “perfectly”, the Board announced that they have reduced the fee for re-verification by 50%, in case any student wants a re-evaluation of their result, while maintaining that they will hold supplementary exams only in April.
Speaking to TNM, TSBIE Secretary Omer Jaleel said, “One reason for so many students failing the exams would be because they are not used to online classes. Besides, these students have not faced a board exam in class 7 or 10, so that could also be a factor.” While he acknowledged that the digital divide and shift to online mode would have hampered students’ education, he tried to divert the issue to students who had passed. “Of the 49% students who passed, 10,000 of them have scored more than 95% of marks,” he said.
Systemic failures contribute to suicides
Student suicides are not a mental health issue, but one of systemic failures to provide equitable access to opportunity and education. Many students who die by suicide often come from marginalised socio-economic backgrounds. One of the two Intermediate students who took his life K Varun, was a native of Bhupalpally district. His parents reportedly worked in Hyderabad as daily-wage workers. Apart from K Varun, and V Jahnavi, the second student who died by suicide after she failed by a small margin of a few marks, another student identified as Sharat Babu, a resident of Kushaiguda, Hyderabad, went missing after he was admonished for his poor performance in the exams.
Research shows that systemic discrimination is also an experience of trauma that causes serious mental, emotional, and physical health problems. Ahla Matra, senior counselor and head of academy and training at The Alternative Story earlier told TNM, “There isn’t enough discourse about what are the circumstances causing distress. Yes, there is a connection between depression, anxiety and suicide, but what is causing depression and anxiety? Are systemic forces responsible? Every death by suicide is failure of the system to protect and serve its people. Removing barriers to accessing quality education and healthcare are mental health interventions too.”
To prevent these incidents, the TSBIE had hired clinical psychologists to help students overcome fear and exam-related stress.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana
State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm)
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one. 24x7 Helpline: 9820466726. Click here for working helplines across India.