The government’s plan to restructure the school level education and modify the old examination system has drawn wide criticism from all the stakeholders, especially the Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB). The government wants to stretch primary level up to grade eight and make class 12 the exit point for the students, thereby scrapping the SLC examination altogether. As per the new National Curriculum Framework, the HSEB would be changed into an examination committee, meaning it will be responsible only for holding exams. Given the decisive role played by the HSEB in formulating curriculum and conducting exams for the last 10 years, its opposition to the new set-up is quite obvious. The plan, HSEB officials claim, not only undermines the importance of higher education, but also threatens the very existence of the HSEB.

Had the government consulted all the stakeholders right in the beginning, much of the confusion could have been avoided. It is also the duty of the education ministry to give a fair chance to all the institutions concerned to put their views across while initiating major policy changes in such a vital sector. Although the idea in itself is not a bad one, there are practical difficulties in implementing it. Take for instance the provision to provide free education up to grade eight. How is the government going to meet the demand for quality teachers for such an ambitious scheme? Also, what it plans for those pupils wanting to opt for vocational studies after tenth standard is unknown. Before launching the programme, the government must sit with the HSEB officials to sort out the issues.