<p>The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has eased the rules to allow the students, studying in the schools with less than 25 students, to appear for Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) final exams, scheduled for March/April 2020.</p>.<p>Considering the interest of students and to avoid the last-minute tension and pressure for students at schools with the student strength of less than 25, the department has decided to relax the rule for complying with mandatory ‘25 students’ to register for SSLC examinations, for 2019-20 academic year.</p>.<p>In a communication to all Deputy Directors of Public Instructions (DDPI), the department has suggested, “To avoid the last-minute confusion and trouble to students, give relaxation for private unaided schools from the 25-student mandatory rule at each class, and provide recognition for such schools only for March/April 2020 examinations.”</p>.<p>According to the officials, under Section 39 of the Karnataka Education Act 1983, it is compulsory for private aided and unaided schools to maintain a minimum student strength in each class.</p>.<p>“The act mandates 25 students per class and recognition of renewal of schools will be provided to schools mainly based on this. Every year during SSLC exams, some schools fail to apply for renewal of recognition as they have less than 25 students. This causes inconvenience to the students at the last-minute. To avoid such hassles, relaxation is given and school managements are asked to get renewal of recognition done,” explained a senior official of the department.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the department even directed the officials at local levels to issue notices to schools which fails to maintain the required student strength and recommend for withdrawal of affiliation for the next academic year.</p>.<p>It can be recalled that during March/April 2019 SSLC board exams, over 800 students across the state were under threat of losing the opportunity to appear for their board exams as the schools concerned failed to comply with the minimum student-strength rule. Finally, the department, considering the interest of students, attached students to nearby schools and allowed them to write exams.</p>.<p>In 2018, several students lost the opportunity to write the board exams as the schools did not have recognition.</p>
<p>The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has eased the rules to allow the students, studying in the schools with less than 25 students, to appear for Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) final exams, scheduled for March/April 2020.</p>.<p>Considering the interest of students and to avoid the last-minute tension and pressure for students at schools with the student strength of less than 25, the department has decided to relax the rule for complying with mandatory ‘25 students’ to register for SSLC examinations, for 2019-20 academic year.</p>.<p>In a communication to all Deputy Directors of Public Instructions (DDPI), the department has suggested, “To avoid the last-minute confusion and trouble to students, give relaxation for private unaided schools from the 25-student mandatory rule at each class, and provide recognition for such schools only for March/April 2020 examinations.”</p>.<p>According to the officials, under Section 39 of the Karnataka Education Act 1983, it is compulsory for private aided and unaided schools to maintain a minimum student strength in each class.</p>.<p>“The act mandates 25 students per class and recognition of renewal of schools will be provided to schools mainly based on this. Every year during SSLC exams, some schools fail to apply for renewal of recognition as they have less than 25 students. This causes inconvenience to the students at the last-minute. To avoid such hassles, relaxation is given and school managements are asked to get renewal of recognition done,” explained a senior official of the department.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the department even directed the officials at local levels to issue notices to schools which fails to maintain the required student strength and recommend for withdrawal of affiliation for the next academic year.</p>.<p>It can be recalled that during March/April 2019 SSLC board exams, over 800 students across the state were under threat of losing the opportunity to appear for their board exams as the schools concerned failed to comply with the minimum student-strength rule. Finally, the department, considering the interest of students, attached students to nearby schools and allowed them to write exams.</p>.<p>In 2018, several students lost the opportunity to write the board exams as the schools did not have recognition.</p>