Sub-committee to examine IX, XI pass policy proposed by Board

THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Following outrage from heads of institutions and Goa's teaching community last month against a proposal of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education to tweak the promotion policy for Standard IX and XI students, the Board's academic council has decided to refer the issue to a sub-committee.
Secretary of the GBSHSE, Bhagirath Shetye told The Goan on Wednesday that the Academic Council decided at its regular meeting earlier this week to refer the issue of promotion policy to a sub-committee which will deliberate the pros and cons and revert to the Council before a final decision is taken.
"This committee will study the pros and cons of allowing students of Std IX and XI who have failed in more than two subjects to move on to standards X and XII. Its report will be submitted to the Board at the meeting scheduled for September," Shetye said.
Based on the report of the committee, GBSHSE will then take a final call on whether to adopt the change or not.
Shetye said, the academic council members had at a meeting in June-end expressed their agreement with the change of allowing students failing in more than two subjects to move on to the higher class by answering a supplementary exam.
Reports of the proceedings of that meeting figured in media reportage which triggered a strong reaction from the Goa Headmasters Association (GHA) and the teaching community from across the state.
The GHA had been totally opposed to the move, and had submitted a memorandum to the chairman of the GBSHSE with their objections.
Some of the objections from the academic community were that students would not take their studies seriously in IX and XI standard, knowing that they would be promoted irrespective of their results.
Under the promotion policy currently in force, a child can answer the supplementary exam only if s/he has failed in up to two subjects.