The Karnataka government recently announced that Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) or Class 10 Board exams in the state will begin on July 19. Amid anxiety from students about faring well after a year of online classes, they were even assured by state Education Minister Suresh Kumar that no student shall be failed this year. However, controversy around the exams arose recently when allegations of some private schools not providing hall tickets over non-payment of fees arose. Workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Bengaluru gathered in the hundreds in protest on Wednesday, July 15. They gathered at the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) office in Malleshwaram, demanding strict action against schools denying hall tickets to students. Following this, the Board issued a circular in this regard, ensuring that all students will be allowed to appear for the exams. It emphasised that hall tickets cannot be withheld due to non-payment of fees.
AAP workers submitted an appeal letter on the matter to the state Education Department and demanded immediate action. Speaking to TNM, State Convenor and spokesperson of AAP Karnataka, Prithvi Reddy, said that it is not fair that students’ futures should be at stake because of parents being unable to pay fees for one year. As per the KSEEB circular, students appearing for the exams can collect their hall tickets from the respective Block Education Offices. The Department of Public Instruction has said that pupils can also contact the Board in case they need help.
The payment of fees for the last academic year has been a bone of contention between parents and schools since the pandemic hit and classes went completely online. The parents argue that the pandemic has put many out of jobs and has caused financial distress, due to which they may not be able to pay the full fees for their children’s online education. “We can’t allow ten years of education to come to a halt because of financial constraints. We are working on the fee reduction aspect but this immediate need was looked into and the Commissioner of Public Instruction released a circular,” Prithvi Reddy said.
Ahead of the SSLC exams, full-fledged preparations including safety arrangements are being undertaken by the Education Department and other officials nominated for exam duty. A mock drill is expected to take place on Saturday, July 17, state Education Minister Suresh Kumar informed.