In New Delhi, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has disclosed that approximately 70 percent of students enrolled in the 10th grade under the NIOS Project have not passed their examinations over the past four years. This information came to light following a Right to Information (RTI) application submitted by PTI.
The NIOS Project was initiated by the Delhi government with the intention of minimizing the failure rate among students in the 9th and 10th grades, as well as decreasing the dropout rates. The initiative registers students who struggle academically and who fail in these grades with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and arranges specialized classes for them.
According to data provided by the DoE, in 2024, a total of 7,794 students were registered for the 10th grade under the project, but only 37 percent, or 2,842 students, successfully passed the exam. The registration numbers have fluctuated over the years, with 8,563 students in 2017, 18,344 in 2018, 18,624 in 2019, 15,061 in 2020, 11,322 in 2021, 10,598 in 2022, and a significant increase to 29,436 in 2023.
The pass rates over these years reflect a concerning trend. In 2017, only 3,748 students passed, rising to 12,096 in 2018 and 17,737 in 2019. However, the numbers fell to 14,995 in 2020, with lower figures thereafter: 2,760 in 2021, 3,480 in 2022, and 7,658 in 2023. This data indicates that only about 30 percent of NIOS students have passed their exams in the last four years.
Principals of the participating schools are tasked with registering students for this scheme. An examination fee of Rs 500 is charged per subject, and additional fees apply for practical subjects. Specifically, if a subject includes practicals, such as in painting, home science, or computer science, there is an extra charge of Rs 120 for each practical.
A teacher from a government school in Delhi, who requested anonymity, cited two primary reasons for the students” high failure rates. The first issue is a lack of coordination, where teachers do not communicate with parents regarding their children”s attendance. The second issue is that students enrolled in this project do not receive the same educational environment as their peers, as teachers often do not conduct classes for academically weaker students.
Furthermore, the teacher noted that principals often enroll underperforming students into the NIOS Project to bolster their school”s 10th-grade results, inadvertently isolating these children from their classmates.
Ashok Agarwal, president of the All India Parents Association and a senior advocate at the Delhi High Court, criticized the project. He explained that students from underprivileged backgrounds are directed towards NIOS for the sake of improving school performance, despite the substandard curriculum compared to that of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). He added that passing the NIOS examination only allows these students to enroll in the Arts stream for 11th grade, calling the project a gamble with children”s futures.
Despite multiple attempts, the Deputy Director of the NIOS Project at the DoE, Hari Ram Sharma, was unavailable for comment.
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