by Mehboob Inamdar
Aurangabad, Feb 25:
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) reduced the syllabus of SSC and HSC by 25 per cent to reduce the burden of students because of the spread of Novel coronavirus. However, it appears that the reduction may not be much beneficial to them.
It may be noted that all the educational institutions were shut down in March 2020.
The online classes started in July first week in most of the schools and junior colleges.
The students attended online classes during the lockdown period.
With relaxations in the Unlock process, classes of 9th to 12th were reopened a few weeks ago.
Many students, mostly from the rural area, faced different difficulties in attending online classes. They included network, unavailability of smartphone, electricity and financial problems.
Many schools and junior colleges claim to have completed the major part of the syllabus in an online class. However, students say that their school and college have not completed the syllabus in online mode.
The MSBSHSE reduced the least important sections from the chapters than reducing any complete chapter. So, students are not much happy with this as they will have to study all the important chapters. Shaikh Mohsina, a 12th class student, said that the syllabus reduction is not much beneficial for them. “It would have been beneficial, had they reduced one or two chapters than sections from the chapters,” she added.
Divisional Secretary of MSBSHSE Sugata Punne said that considering lockdown, the State Board reduced the 25 pc syllabus of SSC and HSC standards.
On the point of completing the syllabus, she said that they have to just implemented the government norms and cannot comment on it.
Santosh Patil, a school teacher, said that they have taught to the students whatever they can do from home in online mode. “The offline classes were started for SSC students. But, there is a short time to complete the syllabus. We have to teach important chapters to students. The reduction in the syllabus has not benefitted them,” he added.
Meanwhile, the rise in the number of COVID patients has created fear among students.
They are worried about taking examination offline in such a situation.
More than 3.51 lakh students of SSC and HSC will take the examinations at Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani and Hingoli districts in April-May.