12-year-old to appear for Madhyamik 2019

Kolkata: Madhyamik 2019 will witness an unprecedented event when a 12-year-old girl from Howrah will be sit for the secondary examination.

Saifa Khatun, who had never been to school, will be appearing for the examination as an external candidate at 12 years of age.

Saifa had sat for the eligibility test conducted by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) and scored 52 percent marks. "She had successfully passed through our eligibility test for the external candidate. She will be appearing for Madhyamik 2019 in that category," said Kalyanmoy Ganguly, president of WBBSE.

It may be mentioned that both regular and external candidates can appear for Madhyamik examination. The names of the regular candidates are provided by the respective schools, while the external candidates have to clear a test conducted by WBBSE. If they score well in that examination they are allowed to appear for the examination.

Sources at WBBSE said Saifa's father had applied to the Board in the month of February, a few days before this year's examination mentioning her daughter's desire to sit for the examination. However, the date of such application had already elapsed at that time so the Board advised her father to apply afresh later.

"The fresh application came in the month of June and it was in August when she sat for the Board's test. It has been found that the girl, who had never been to school, scored 52 percent marks," the source said.

The girl from Amta in Uluberia has scored 42 in English, 48 in Bengali, 40 in Mathematics, 58 in Physical Science, 68 in Life Science, 56 in History and 60 in Geography. A senior Board official, however, recollected a similar incident some years back. "At least in the last five to six years, there has not been a single case on similar lines," the official added.