Students struggling to score 25% in class 9th

Mumbai: With the number of std IX students failing to secure a minimum of 25 per cent marks in their final exams in their maths and science papers rising this year, city-based schools are a worried lot. School principals believe that special efforts are required from teachers, students and their parents to obtain better results in the coming years. As per state government's new rule, all class IX students will have to score a minimum of 25 per cent marks in their written exams.

Gloomy future?
A principal of a renowned South Mumbai school said, "If scoring just 25 per cent marks in mathematics and science was difficult for students, I wonder what will the situation be in the coming years." Seconding the principal's opinion, Manjur Ahmed, president of Headmasters Association of Greater Mumbai, said, "If this is the situation this year, I am sure that next year the number of failures will increase. If we don't want the situation to go from bad to worse, then teachers, students and parents must work in sync, so that better results are obtained next year."

Officialspeak
An education officer, requesting anonymity, said, "When we discovered that students who had performed poorly in their written exams made it to the next level by scoring well in practicals, we realised that it were the teachers who were passing them by giving them better marks in practicals. Hence, the education department came up with the new rule that a student has to score a minimum of 25 per cent in his written exam (in all subjects), so that he can make it to the next class. This eliminates chances of teachers unnecessarily giving more marks to students." When contacted, Sarjerao Jadhav, chairperson of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education refused to comment on the issue.

'Efforts necessary'
Arundhati Chavan, president of the PTA United Forum, said, "It is true that the new rule might deteriorate the situation in the coming years. But the only solution is teachers conducting remedial classes for students and parents' efforts to prepare their children for the SSC exam from std IX itself."

Did you know?
The Maharashtra Secondary & Higher Secondary Education Board Regulation, revised circular No 2744, dated April 11, 2012, states that a minimum of 75 per cent attendance of the total working days in each term separately is mandatory for promotion. Securing a minimum of 25% marks in written examination of all subjects is mandatory. No grace marks or any other benefit, including automatic or combined passing to be given, if a student fails to obtain the required 25% marks in the written exam. These 25% marks are to be calculated by considering the combined marks obtained in the first & second semesters.