We take your attention to an instance, where parents of students from Government Senior Secondary School in Gorana Village of Jhadol Tehsil of Udaipur, have made a representation on fake transfer certificates being issued to their children.

According to the news report, the parents alleged that over the last two academic sessions, 71 tribal students of the school were sent transfer certificates to their homes, without them having applied for it. The document alleges that this act has deprived their children of their basic right to education. The reason given in the transfer certificates was "study elsewhere" as per reports. Student given transfer certificates were either of 9th grade or 10th grade.

The Principal in question, Gautam Gupta, however defended the allegation saying that over the last 4 years, the total enrolment in the school has increased by 39%, which is approximately 10% per annum, which represents a healthy growth. He further added that school cannot issue TCs without request from parents, which is against government norms. On allegations that this was done to keep the school results high and facilitate improved evaluation of teachers, the Principal said that no examinations have been held in the last two sesison due to the pandemic, so there is no question of evaluation.

The District Education Officer, has however taken the enquiry route as a formal complaint has been made. Pushpendra Sharma, the DEO has also mentioned that the enrolment in the school has shown steady improvement each year. He added that students prefers open board systems where they can clear subjects in many attempts.

UT Insight

As per government policy, it is ensured that each child is enrolled in school, under Right to Education. However, education as a mindset in the deeply rural areas is a tough nut to crack. While many students study diligently, there is a section of students that do not show the aptitude to study or inclination towards education, irrespective of the intent or enthusiasm of the teacher or the school, as per a senior government school teacher (name witheld no request) who has worked in such areas over the last three decades.

On further enquiry, it was found that the Principal in question has shown a strict, empathetic and disciplined approach across his school postings. Significant development has happened in the govt school at Gorana since the Principal has taken over, by utilising the funds in developing the infrastructure of the school. This is supported by the 39% increase in enrolment over the last 4 years. It is a regular practice in schools, especially government schools, when students who are not faring well in academics are counseled and advised to opt for the open board system, where they are given the option of clearing the examination subject by subject and the regular load of a comprehensive examination is done away with. The school though, can not issue TCs with a request or without counselling of parents and the students, something that will be verified after the enquiry committee submits its report.

What is Open Board

Open Board examinations are conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling, which like CBSE, CISCE, etc is a government approved body conducting open examinations where students do not go to any particular school. This allows students to appear in subjects of their choice across two examination windows, one in April and the other in October. An Open Board certificate also allows the student to go in for higher education like MBBS and Engineering among others.

Teachers Evaluation System

The shift in policy pertaining to teachers evaluation has now made the student and school performance as the basis. Hence teachers are preparing their own evaluation platform by arguably streamlining their students performance in line with their desired evaluation. The students are hand in glove with their teachers. This led to the board evaluation system for class 5 and class 8 in government schools, where those giving marks are also in the same peer group. The evaluation system, instead of becoming the panacea for issues with the education system, has infact become the root cause for the disease.

Who is right and who is wrong in the above matter is for the enquiry and later department of education to decide, but in all of this, the student is the one bearing the burden of the system or the altercation.

Image Source: UdaipurKiran