THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A large number of students, including those who had secured A+ in all subjects in the SSLC examinations, were disappointed when the first allotment list for Plus One admission was out on Wednesday. Most of the applicants could not get their most preferred school-course combination and were worried whether they would be able to do so in the subsequent allotments.
As many as 4.65 lakh online applications were received for Plus One admission through the single-window admission process this year. A total of 2.71 lakh merit seats were up for grabs in the first allotment. Of these, allotment was made to 2.18 lakh seats when the first list was out on Wednesday with a little over 50,000 merit seats remaining for subsequent allotments.
“This has led to a situation where even a student who receives A+ grade in all subjects may have to opt for a management quota seat to secure admission to his or her preferred school-course combination,” said a parent requesting anonymity. The reason for the peculiar situation has been attributed to a three-fold rise in the number of students who got A+ in all subjects this year compared to the previous year. While 41,906 students got A+ in all subjects last year, the number rose to 1,21 lakh this year, reportedly due to a liberal valuation policy.
Along with the liberal valuation, anomalies in the grading system was also blamed for the current scenario. “The situation in which a student who scores 90% marks and another student who scores 100% marks are treated on a par under the A+ grade should change,” demanded S Manoj, state general secretary of the Aided Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association.
Besides, the disproportionate availability of Plus One seats in the state would further compound the problem in subsequent allotments, it is pointed out. Five southern districts have a surplus of higher secondary Plus One seats ranging from 631 to 4,490 when compared to students who have passed SSLC exams this year. On the other hand, northern districts from Malappuram to Kasaragod have a deficit of Plus One seats ranging from 2,812 to 22,329.