BHUBANESWAR: Plus Two first year students of different Higher Secondary Schools, erstwhile junior colleges, staged demonstrations across the State on Monday protesting the Government’s decision regarding minimum marks and promotion. The recent decision of the Government mandates Plus Two first year students to secure 33 per cent in the examination to be promoted to second year and appear the annual Plus II examination.
Students of various educational institutions in the Capital including Maharishi College of Natural Law, Biju Patnaik College of Science and Education, Rajdhani College, Deba Ray College and Ekamra College staged protest in and outside the campuses.
Students of Biju Patnaik College blocked road, while students of other institutions burnt tyres to lodge their protest. Similar situation prevailed in Puri where students of Samanta Chandra Sekhar (Autonomous) College burnt tyres. Police was also deployed to maintain law and order situation.
The agitating students alleged that courses in most of the colleges have not been completed yet and decision of the School and Mass Education department in such a situation is arbitrary. "They should have informed us at the time of admission or six months in advance. With less than a month remaining for our exams it will strenuous for the students," said Sunil, a Plus II first year student from Deba Ray college.
"We students welcome the decision. However, it should be implemented from next year and students taking admission in Plus II first year should be informed at the beginning of session," said another student. "The exam is scheduled from February 15 to 29 which gives us very less time to prepare. Government should give us time till April for the examination," said a student from Rajdhani college.
School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das said the State Government doesn’t want any student to fail in the exam and the move is only intended to ensure that students study well and secure good score in the annual Plus II examination.
"The move is not new. It was already there. We have just asked the higher secondary schools to ensure students secure 33 per cent mark in the first year and those unable to do so in the first exam will be given another chance in May," Dash added. Instruction will be given to all higher secondary schools to ensure timely completion of courses in the first year, he added.