By The Hindu Bureau
Leader of the Opposition and DMK convenor R. Siva has demanded the provision of Tamil language question papers for the annual examinations for CBSE Classes 10 and 12.
In a recent statement, Mr. Siva said students and parents were distressed by CBSE board examination papers for Classes 10 and 12 being issued only in English and Hindi.
He sought bilingual question papers to start incorporating regional languages from the current academic year.
The DMK leader also opposed the move to introduce tests to promote students of Classes 5 and 8. He feared that failing to clear these tests to move to the next class would negatively affect the confidence of students and could potentially trigger higher drop-outs. Pointing to Tamil Nadu鈥檚 practice of promoting students up to Class 9, he urged the Puducherry government to replicate that model and to revert to a State syllabus.
Reiterating his charge that the AINRC-BJP government had pushed through the implementation of the Centrally-framed National Education Policy in an ill-prepared manner, Mr. Siva said the lack of teachers for specific subjects, the delayed distribution of textbooks and uniforms and a lack of uniform access to libraries were impairing the academic performance of students. He also sought the appointment of specially trained teachers for children with disabilities and dyslexia.
On NEET admissions, Mr. Siva demanded that the government disclose the details of admissions through the 10% quota for students who have studied in Government schools from Std I to Std XII in the Union Territory of Puducherry to higher education courses. Claiming that only 14 of the 37 seats in this category were filled in the previous admission cycle, the DMK leader urged the government to clarify the status of the remaining seats.
The DMK would launch an agitation if the authorities continued to be negligent in safeguarding the interests of the student community and the welfare of teachers, he said.