‘Nearly 10% of students who passed Madhyamik fail to enrol for HS’

Kolkata: Nearly 10 per cent of students who passed the Madhyamik examinations have not enrolled for the upcoming Higher Secondary (HS) exams, scheduled for March 2025, according to the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE).

Chiranjib Bhattacharya, president of WBCHSE, revealed that approximately 5,05,000 students have enrolled for the 2025 HS examinations, scheduled from March 3 to 18. In 2023, a total of 5,65,428 students passed the Madhyamik exams and almost all of them enrolled in Class XI. However, over 10 per cent of these students appear to have dropped out at the higher secondary level. Bhattacharya acknowledged the trend, stating: “We have observed a consistent gap of around 10 per cent between the number of students registering for class XI and those enrolling for the HS exams in recent years. These students seem to have dropped out of the education system.”

According to teachers, a significant number of students leave after Class XI, with many dropping out after receiving financial aid for buying tablets under the ‘Taruner Swapna’ scheme, which is being provided to students in both Class XI and XII in 2024. School authorities reported that many Class XI students left school after receiving the financial assistance, citing financial constraints at home.

A senior official from the Education Council noted that a similar trend has been observed in recent years. “At the start of the academic session, we see students attending school for a few months, but once the Rs 10,000 aid is credited to their accounts, attendance drops significantly. Some students submit fake bills and never return to school.”