Goa education authorities may take call after other State Boards, national consensus, says top official
PANAJI
The decision to introduce the National Education Policy (NEP) from Class IX has thrown a cloak of suspense over the fate of the Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) the first major 'qualification' in a student's academic life.
No firm decision has been taken on the fate of the SSCE from March 2026 onwards, when students who will sit in Class IX from June this year would have otherwise been writing this public exam at the end of their Class X.
The decision-making team of the State education ministry is expected to re-visit this crucial issue in October-November.
"By that time, several other States will have taken a decision and possibly a national consensus will have emerged on what to do with the SSC examination under the NEP," a top official familiar with also part of the State government's team which is charting the transition of Goa's school education into the NEP system, said.
The SSCE, also colloquially referred to as 'metric' here in Goa has an important stature in an individual's academic career.
It is the first public examination in a student's academic life and is conducted centrally by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE).
Passing this examination and earning the secondary school certificate is a qualification several employers, both government as well as private, look out for while picking candidates for jobs.
It is also a prerequisite to qualify for several technical and non-technical courses, including engineering diplomas and other certificate courses.
Currently, the GBSHE holds the SSC exam twice a year, first in February, March or April and next in October to give those who may have failed or not fared satisfactorily to improve their scores.
This examination will be conducted in October this year for failures or those who want to improve their scores. It will again be conducted in March-April next year for students who will be studying in Class X from June and who are unaffected by the government’s decision to introduce NEP.
Will the SSC examination, conducted by the Board be discontinued after March 2025? This is a question which will find answers only when the decision-makers in the State Education Ministry led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant revisit this crucial issue in October-November, perhaps taking a cue from other States and what consensus emerges nationally across the country.
At least one other State government – Assam – has already decided that there will be no SSC exam conducted publicly by the Board. Instead, the Class X exam will be conducted by the schools there.
Assam had two Boards – one to conduct the Class X exam and another to conduct the Class XII one. It has now decided to abolish the Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA) which conducted the Class X exam and form one single Board which will conduct the final exam of the Secondary Stage envisaged in the NEP for Class XII.
