Introduction
It is a matter of pride for our State that ours is an academically privileged State in a number of ways. We have already attained total literacy. We have primary schools within a radius of 1 Km and high schools within a radius of 3 KMs. When other States are struggling to provide schooling for all school –aged children we have already achieved this target. More over, we have been carrying out a number of programmes with a view to providing quality education at all levels. Quite naturally, general education in our State is interpreted as education up to the higher secondary level. About 90% of students who are admitted in schools are now aspirants for higher secondary education. Our Government is committed to provide quality education to all of them. Nevertheless, certain practices prevailing in the domain of higher secondary education appear to be undesirable for a democratic system. Many talented students are thrown away from their choice courses and sometimes even from higher secondary education because of these practices. Government has already declared that quality education is the right of the child. In order to materialise this goal we have to revamp the process of admitting students to higher secondary courses. The proposed Single Window System of Admission to Higher Secondary courses is the result of the social commitment of the Government.
Why Single Window?
The Government have come to know about several complaints related to the existing mode of admission to higher secondary courses:
. • The existing mode of selection is in a way ‘lucky take.’ Most students do not get admission to their choice subject groups or choice schools.
. • Students who are relatively at lower levels of excellence overtake those who are at higher levels and procure admission
. • Admissions are not transparent
. • There is wide-spread complaint namely that admissions even to merit seats are done based on other criteria.
. • Most often financial criterion is considered.
. • Discrimination prevails even from the date of the issuing of application forms.
• Reservation criteria are not maintained. It was in these circumstances that the Government sought new modes for admission to the higher secondary courses. The single window admission that was implemented in Thiruvananthapuram district on an experimental basis reveals that it is better than the mode of admission that is prevailing now.
The LDF Government is committed to ensuring social justice and equity of opportunities in the field of education. Programmes are being evolved and carried out in the domain of school education in order to materialise the cherished goal namely, quality education children’s right. Consequently, quality changes are talking place in this domain. If at the national level efforts are being made to attract children to class 1 and enrol them, we in Kerala, have almost reached near the goal of providing education to all children up to class 12 in 12 years. More over, school authorities are obliged to provide admission without discrimination to all children who seek admission up to class 10 in Government and Aided schools. All students should learn all subjects up to class 10. However, after class 10, all children do not learn all subjects. Children have the right to choose subject groups in accordance with their merit and aptitude. All children may not get admission to their choice subject group or choice school. This situation necessitated a selection process that would do justice to all. When Pre Degree that existed in colleges was attached to school education, more students got the opportunity to undergo higher secondary courses. Nevertheless, this stage even today retains many of the systems (including reservation systems) that prevailed earlier in colleges.
The Thiruvananthapuram Experience
Admissions to plus -1 through single window was decided to be implemented in Thiruvananthapuram district on an experimental basis during the academic year 2007-08. Prior to this, the Government had carried out discussions with teacher organizations, management representatives and educational experts. It had been made clear that the Government would not intervene in admissions to community/management seats and that admissions to these seats would be continued in the same manner as was done earlier.
Admissions through single window were made to Government schools maintaining the reservation criteria and to seats other than community/management seats in Aided schools. The process of single window admission was completed in such a way that allotment to professional courses would be made by the Commissioner of Entrance Examinations.
It may be specially noted that this mode of admission did not confront with even any of those drawbacks that would be natural for a programme that is implemented on an experimental basis. There were a few trivial issues in some places due to the lack of alertness on the part of students while filling in their application forms. These issues were resolved duly.
When the process of admission through single window was completed, all those who had opposed to it and those who were in favour of it acknowledged its merit. It was a relief for both the students and the parents. Principals were also happy because they were relieved from pressures of various kinds. People’s representatives also feel happy about the process because admissions were made in a democratic manner and with transparency. Single window admission faces two-fold accusation:
1. 1. Classes started in November
2. 2. Teachers had faced problems because the students who got higher options kept changing. Therefore, it was difficult for the teachers to know the students and complete the lessons.
What is the Fact?
In Thiruvananthapuram district where single window was implemented classes started on 29th July whereas in other districts they started on 23rd of July. It is expected that when single window will be implemented in the current year classes can start one month earlier when compared with the starting of the classes in the previous year.
The admission of the first batch in Thiruvananthapuram was on July 19th and that of the second on the 28th. With the first two batches of admissions 80% of the total seats were filled in. What left unfilled were the quota seats for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. If sufficient number of students do not turn up for the reservation seats it is necessary to call for applications once again and check whether there are any students who have not applied so far without which the reservation seats cannot be filled. This process naturally was a time-consuming one. More over, provisions were made for the students to go for higher options. All these are part of the justice that the students should get. The sole criterion for this is merit. Those who had given admissions to these seats in the previous years according to their wish may have faced difficulties. Opportunity was given to students who had come out successfully after the “say” examination. In spite of all these, admission in Thiruvananthapuram district was closed by September 11th by then providing six opportunities for students.
The Government had not intervened in the admission to management/community seats. No such complaints were received during last year. Here follows a few more details pertaining to single window admission.
What do we mean by Single Window?
By Single Window we mean the admission procedure in a Revenue District to all the seats in Government and Aided schools except management/community seats.
This year single window will be introduced only in the higher secondary domain. The Government wants to bring vocational higher secondary also under single window during the coming years. There are 1697 Higher secondary schools in the State including 729 Giovernment Higher Secondary schools, 529 Aided Higher Secondary schools and 439 Un-aided Higher Secondary schools. In these schools there are a total of 5804 batches, covering 3335 science batches, 1079 batches for humanities, and 1390 commerce batches. Of these 1, 29,780 seats are in the Government sector, 1, 34,100 seats are in the Aided sector and 84,300 seats are in the Un-aided sector (ref: Statistics given in Financial Review Report 2007). Apart from these students can seek admission to Vocational Higher Secondary, Poly-technique, Industrial Training Institutes and Industrial Training centres.
What is the advantage of Single Window System?
In order to assess the relative merit of this system we need to compare it with the existing system. The existing situation
. • The basic unit of admission is a higher secondary school.
. • Students will have to apply independently to each of the schools where they are likely to get admission.
. • It is quite common that in some schools there will be a long queue of those who have not procured admission whereas, in some other schools there will be vacant seats.
. • Since the number of schools where admission is sought is limited, if admission is not obtained, one year will be lost.
. • For each centre Rs. 10/- is to be paid as the cost of application form.
. • Even those students who got higher grades/marks get waiting list admission card from the school where they have sought admission to. The tension that these students undergo till they are admitted to some school is never considered. The case of students who have secured lower grades/marks is worse.
. • Students whose names have appeared in the waiting list of various schools have to send their relatives to all those centres where they can try their luck in procuring admission.
. • Admissions to all these schools take place on a single day. More over, since there is no guarantee that students will get admission to their choice school and to the choice batch, they are compelled to get enrolled in the first school that is ready to take them in. It is possible to change the batch and the school to which they have got admission. But most often, the criteria for this are recommendations and “other” maters.
. • If a students who has got admission to a government school wants a change to an aided school or vice versa, the fee that he has paid will be lost.
. • When the first list is prepared reservation criteria will be maintained. It is never checked whether reservation criteria are followed after the first day during the phase of admissions.
. • Merit is the basis for admission to all the seats in Government schools. In Aided, Minority and Backward Management schools 40% of seats are open merit, 20% is management quota, and 20% is community quota. In aided schools other than these, 50% of seats are open merit and 30% is management quota. In all schools there is a reservation of 12% of seats for scheduled castes and 8% for scheduled tribes.
If Single Window System is introduced
. • All schools within a Revenue district are the basic unit of admission.
. • It is enough that the student submits his application in any one of the schools in the Revenue district. If admission is sought to management/community seats application for each school is to be submitted.
. • Since the students will be mentioning the priority of the schools/batches in the application, the situation where seats remain vacant in any school will not arise.
. • Since the student can apply for admission to more number of schools and batches chances are very rare that he/she will be losing one year without getting admission.
. • Each student gets an opportunity to choose up to 60 schools. In the previous years a total of Rs. 600/ will be needed towards the cost of application forms. Now by virtue of single window the student has to pay only Rs. 10/- as the cost of application form.
. • The student will never have to face a “nowhere” situation because of getting included in the waiting list published by some school. He/ She will have a clear idea about the school/batch in which he/she will be getting admission according to the priorities that have been furnished in the application form.
. • There is no need to go for a “lucky pick”. Clear instructions will be issued to the student through the website about the school he has to get enrolled on a priority basis.
. • If the option to change school/batch is not cancelled by the student, the student can change into a school or batch that he she has applied for on priority basis. No recommendations are needed for this. The only basis is the merit of the student.
. • If the student changes from a Government school to an Aided school or vices versa his/her fee will not be lost. Fee can be remitted at the final stage where the admission is finalised.
. • Since admission list is prepared with the aid of computer, reservation criteria are ensured.
. • Admission to seats in the management/community quota will not be made through Single Window. Management itself will admit students to these seats following all the procedures of admission. This means that in this sector, the existing situation will continue. By no means will the legal rights of the management be denied.
What are the criteria for Higher Secondary Admission?
Admission to all seats in the government schools will be made on the basis of merit. Of these 59% is for open merit, 8% is for Ezhava, 7% is for Muslim, 2% is for Latin-SIUC, 1% is for Other Backward Christians, 3% is for Other Backward Hindu Community, 12% for SC, and 8% is for ST. The right to admit students to seats under the management quota is vested with the management. Among the open merit seats, 5% has been reserved for the sports sector and 3% for students who are physically challenged. 1% of seats among the physically challenged are reserved for the blind.
Will Single Window cause Difficulties for Students living the district borders?
As per the Single Window System Revenue is taken as the unit for admission. Therefore, if the student wants to a school in the nearby district he/she will have to apply for admission in that district also. M This means, the student will have to apply for admission in two districts.
Does the Accusation that the Right of the Management is Taken away stand?
In the Single Window System managements including minority managements will continue to have their rights as they have now. The concerned managements will have full right to admit students to the seats under the management quota of aided-minority managements in accordance with the existing rules. These seats will by no means come under the purview of Single Window System. Objections will be raised only when managements demand that admissions to even merit seats should be made based on criteria other than academics. No democratic Government can allow this demand. It is the right of a student to get admission to a merit seat as per his academic merit. Democratic Governments are bound to protect this right of the child. The Government of Kerala is fulfilling this duty.
It is because of ignorance that the managements claim that the admission to an aided school is the right of the management. As per the existing Government prospectus, admission to merit seats is given to the students on behalf of the Government by the Principal who draws the salary paid by the Government and the school level committee that is entrusted with the admissions. If there are any irregularities in the case of admissions made to merit seats, the Principal and the committee are accountable to the Government. Managements in no way can interfere in this. But there is a wide-spread complaint namely that the admissions to merit seats are not properly made. Since this complaint is very much prevalent, Single Window System is introduced with a view to helping students, parents and the teachers including the Principal. C.Ramakrishnan
