Nearly 50% of the students, who fail in the Standard X board exams drop out of school on an average, the state government told the Bombay high court on Tuesday.

According to a fresh affidavit filed by the government in the PIL challenging the ATKT (allowed to keep term) scheme, 2008; of the 3.34 lakh students who failed in the SSC exam, only 1.49 lakh students appeared for the supplementary exam held in October. In 2007, of the 4.83 lakh students who failed in the SSC exam only 2.72 lakh students appeared for the supplementary exam.

Advocate general Ravi Kadam had justified the government’s move to introduce the ATKT scheme saying that it was aimed at preventing students from dropping out of schools and reduces the psychological pressure on students of losing an academic year. The HC, which had stayed admissions under the ATKT scheme earlier this month, reserved its judgment on the case.

As per the ATKT scheme, students who failed in one or two subjects in the SSC exam could take provisional admission to Class XI provided they cleared all the subjects in the supplementary exam. The Maharashtra state board had also supported the ATKT scheme since it was not possible to hold supplementary exam earlier and allowing students to take provisional admission would help prevent students from losing an academic year.

The PIL was filed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of Bharatiya Janata Party, challenging the ATKT scheme stating that the government did not have the infrastructure to accommodate all the students in junior colleges. However, the government told the court that the 1.85 lakh vacant seats in junior colleges are adequate to accommodate the 1.47 lakh students, who failed in one or two subjects this year.

Source: Anshika Misra, DNA News, 26th Aug 09, Pg no. 2