Bihar's move to replace 'fail' with 'eligible for skill development' draws criticism

The Bihar government's decision to replace the word 'fail' with 'eligible for skill development' in the marksheets of students who do not secure the minimum qualifying marks in Class 10 and 12 board examinations has drawn criticism from the State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN).

The Bihar government recently announced its decision of implementing the change from the current academic session, with the Education Department set to amend the rules and issue instructions to the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), Education Minister Mithlesh Tiwari said on August 29.

The state government says the move is aimed at enabling students who are unsuccessful in board examinations to pursue vocational training programmes through the Bihar Board of Open Schooling and Examination (BBOSE). Minister Tiwari said a student's talent does not disappear merely because they fail to secure the expected marks in an examination.

The government has also announced special one-month sessions for students appearing for the Class 10 supplementary examinations to help them prepare and improve their chances of passing the examination.

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Bihar Govt should withdraw decision: SPCSS-TN

SPCSS-TN, in a statement dated August 30, urged the Bihar government to withdraw the decision, arguing that school education should not be viewed primarily through the lens of job readiness or vocational skills.

"The purpose of education is to make a person a better human. School education is not about skilling a person for job-readiness," the organisation said. SPCSS-TN General Secretary P B Prince Gajendra Babu added that students' performance in board examinations is influenced by several factors, including their social and economic circumstances, educational opportunities and the availability of support to overcome learning difficulties and examination-related stress.

The organisation raised concerns that labelling students as 'eligible for skills' could create a stigma and give an impression that they are suited only for job-oriented skill training rather than higher education. It also pointed out that students who do not clear board examinations on their first attempt have several avenues available to them, including supplementary examinations, vocational education and further opportunities to pursue higher studies.

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"Why should such students be stamped as qualified only for skills?" SPCSS-TN asked. The organisation said marksheets should instead record the marks obtained and the minimum passing criteria, allowing students to use their results to identify areas for improvement and appear for subsequent examinations.

SPCSS-TN further urged educationists and teachers' and student organisations to examine the potential psychological impact of the proposal on young people and appealed to the Bihar government to withdraw it.

The organisation also called for similar proposals not to be introduced by the Union government or other state governments, arguing that issues surrounding students' performance in public examinations should be examined from an academic perspective and in the context of equitable access to education.