Over 80 per cent Class IX, XI Delhi govt school students who failed exam ‘missing’ from system: Report

Around 83 per cent of Class IX students and 84 per cent of Class XI students who failed in their examination have been missing from Delhi’s public education system from between 2014-15 and 2020-21, reveals a report released by Praja Foundation.

Alarmingly, there is no information as to whether they continued with their studies.

The report also underscores that the per child state budget allocation declined by 14 per cent from 2019-20 to 2022-23, while per child MCD budget allocation declined by 21 per cent from 2019-20 to 2021-22.

According to the report titled ‘State of Public (School) Education in Delhi, 2022’, over the years, 6.28 lakh Class IX and 1.9 lakh Class XI students ceased being part of the education system.

In 2019-20, only 26 per cent of 60,635 students who failed Class IX enrolled for the NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) Class X exam in 2020-21. Out of these students, only 47 per cent could pass the exam.

The inference is that not many students are availing the Patrachar and NIOS scheme, as is evident from the enrolment – out of the 60,635 students of Class IX who did not go to Class X in 2019-20, only 15,525 students enrolled for the two schemes in 2020-21.

CBSE Patrachar is a correspondence course for students who fail Class IX and XI examinations. These students can continue their school education without wasting a year and without repeating the same class.

It’s not mandatory for the students to clear Class IX exams.

The pass percentage of students who appeared for Patrachar Class X examination was 39 per cent in March 2022, while it was 81.27 per cent in the Class X state board exam in March 2022.

In 2020-21, only 40 per cent of 4,008 students who failed in Class XI exam enrolled for 2021-22, out of which 70 per cent could pass the Class XII exam.

“Of the students who have failed Class IX, very few are enrolling for Patrachar scheme. Maximum students who are not enrolling are not being traced or tracked as to what is happening with their education, whether they have completed their education or what is happening with them. The govt should maintain records,” said Yogesh Mishra, head of Praja Foundation.  

He also pointed out that there needed to be an understanding as to why students were failing in Class IX. “If there was a focus on improving their learning outcomes, minimal students would fail Class IX. The government should understand this,” he said.

The report also highlights that 82 per cent of principals’ posts in Delhi government schools are lying vacant as of December 2021. The government has sanctioned these posts, so why is that these vital post are not being filled, Mishra questioned, and pointed out that school development plans are signed by principals.

Principals play a vital role in preparing the School Development Plan (SDP). Out of the 157 govt schools for which data was received, 50 per cent did not prepare the SDP for 2021-22.