Students failing in SSC examination have a reason to cheer once again. The state government has restarted the admission process for such
students after a Bombay high court verdict.
As per a state education department circular, the students failing in minimum two subjects are eligible for availing Allowed To Keep Terms (ATKT) facility that enable them to seek admission to Std XI without wasting an academic year.
The admission process has in fact begun from Thursday itself and would continue till October 6. During this period, all schools in the state have been instructed to pass on information through the notice board, distribute and collect forms, publish a merit list and admit the students. The principals have been directed to file a report through education officers in their respective areas to the education department in this regard. They have been asked to admit students on the basis of bona fide certificates. Even the block education officers have been instructed to ensure admission of every student hailing from their areas in any of junior colleges.
The department also asked the deputy directors of education in the state to sent letters to all schools in their areas directing them to admit such students against the vacant seats. If the demand is more, the directors can increase the number of seats in each section by 20%. The junior colleges can demand an additional section through education officers in their areas if the list is still big.
Over 1.50 lakh students who failed to clear the SSC exams in one or two subjects will be going to benefit by this decision. ATKT allows them to get promoted to Std XI albeit with a rider that they clear all the subjects by March 2010. Around 1,239 students from Nagpur district and 4,054 from the division comprising six districts were found eligible to take benefit of ATKT scheme which was reported by TOI in its August 3 edition. Among them, 727 had already secured admissions to various junior colleges before the high court stayed government's decision to grant ATKT facility on a petition filed by Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
The youth wing of BJP had challenged this decision, a brainchild of state education minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, contending that the ATKT scheme was introduced in haste, for political mileage and without ensuring necessities like facilities and infrastructure. However, despite court blasting government of restricting ATKT facility for students who failed in March 2009 exam, the government has decided to stick to its decision.
Highlights
* Admissions to continue till October 6 and schools were directed to inform students
* Only students failing in March 2009 exam are eligible
* Admission to be given through bona fide certificates on purely merit basis
* Deputy directors asked to increase sections of Std XI if needed
* Students have to clear all subjects by March 2010 exam