Kolkata, March 4 Questions have started surfacing on why a large number of higher secondary aspirants under the West Bengal Board in the last few years are dropping out of the examination even after registering for the same.
Educationists are of the opinion that this trend of dropping out from appearing for the Uccha Madhyamik (higher secondary) examination conducted by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Examination even after getting registered indicates declining attraction among the aspirants towards the state board.
Educationists also feel that there could be two reasons behind this trend. The first plausible reason is that aspirants often migrate to a different board for higher secondary education even after registering for the same under the West Bengal Board.
The second plausible reason is that a section of the aspirants, even after registering, are forced to opt for small-time jobs for economic pressures instead of appearing for the examination.
The number of students appearing for the Uccha Madhyamik examination this year, which started on Monday, is an example of the declining attraction of the West Bengal Board among higher secondary aspirants.
Around 5.09 lakh aspirants are appearing for the Uccha Madhyamik examination this year, although a total of 5.54 lakh students got registered for the same in 2023, after passing out the Madhyamik (Secondary) examination conducted by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Examination.
This means that 45,000 students did not appear for the Uccha Madhyamik examination this year despite getting registered for the same.
In fact, as per records, this trend started surfacing in the last few years. In 2024, only 7,89 lakh aspirants appeared for the Uccha Madhyamik examination, although a higher number of 9.13 lakh aspirants registered for the same in 2022.
Again in 2023, only 8.18 lakh aspirants actually appeared for the Uccha Madhyamik examination, although 10.51 aspirants registered for the same in 2022.
“Although there had been demands from the academic fraternity in the state for thorough probe on declining interest among aspirants toward state board, no initiative in the matter has been mooted so far,” said an official of the state education department who refused to be named.
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