The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Anxious wait for CBSE students

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 10, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Anxious wait for CBSE students

Vani Doraisamy

"Many turn to deemed universities" Unsure of whether there would be any level-playing field alongside State board students, many of them are turning more towards deemed universities and payment-quota seats, educationalists say.

CHENNAI: With the State Government yet to define clearly if there will be different criteria for the admission of CBSE students into professional courses in the post-CET scenario, the vigil continues for thousands of students from various CBSE schools throughout the State. Some 3,600 of these students from 125 schools took the Plus-Two examinations this year.

Unsure of whether there would be any level-playing field alongside State board students who have a definite edge in the qualifying marks-only stipulation, many of them are turning more towards deemed universities and payment-quota seats, educationalists say. On Monday, Tamil Nadu scrapped the CET for medicine, engineering, dentistry, pharmaceutical and other professional courses.

"When it comes to taking Plus-Two marks as the admission criteria, our students are at a definite disadvantage. While State Board students are taught the same curriculum in both Plus-One and Plus-Two, the pattern differs for the CBSE. A stricter pattern of evaluation of answer sheets also adds to their difficulties,'' says Meenu Agarwal, principal of DAV Public School and president of the Chennai Sahodaya , an association of principals from various CBSE schools in the city.

Ajit Jain, principal, Rajaji Vidyashram and secretary of the association, said despite the scrapping of the CET being a welcome move, apprehensions were rife among CBSE students as to what their fate would be: "Anxious parents and students have been asking us on what basis they can seek admissions to professional courses. We do not have an answer till a clear picture emerges.''

The students themselves, while thankful that they would now have one less examination to face, say the CET had nevertheless worked to their advantage. "I was hoping that I could make up for my comparatively low score in the Plus-Two by outperforming State Board students in the CET. I had been preparing months ahead for the CET. All that has been wasted now,'' said S. Niharika, student of an Anna Nagar-based school.

"I had wanted to pursue my professional education in Tamil Nadu as the academic standards here are higher than elsewhere. Now, it looks as if I will have to look towards not so attractive prospects in other States,'' said a student of P.S. Senior Secondary School.

With CBSE officials in the State saying no communication to this effect has been received from the State Government, for the parents and students, the uncertainty shows no signs of abating.

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