Schools have been put on notice to step in with these Class 9 repeaters early on. A fresh circular from the Directorate of Education makes it plain: retention is the top priority. Only if a family is set on leaving the regular system should you be pointing them in the direction of NIOS for Class X.
You see the pattern often enough – a student fails a few times, loses heart, or doesn’t know what else is out there, and they check out. The department wants to put a stop to that. Counselling is to be done with both the child and the parents at the table, so everyone is in the know and feels the support.
Why this matters for students
The NIOS option is a way for a kid to put in the work without writing off a whole year, according to officials. They can go at their own speed and make of their subjects what they will. For a teenager who has chafed under a rigid timetable, that can be the difference.
Still, the Directorate would have you stay in the regular school. The circular is clear on this: do what you can to keep the student enrolled. NIOS is more of a bridge for when a family is after a School Leaving Certificate and won’t be part of the mainstream any longer.
What schools have been asked to do
Heads of the government schools are to put a finger on the ones who have not made it past Class IX two times over. The word is to draw up a list of those who have failed twice or even three times and get in touch with them and their families for a talk when it suits.
This isn’t to be done in passing. Schools are to let the family know we are here for them and that the intent is to see the child through to the end of their school days.
NIOS pathway explained
When a student is done with the regular school and wants an SLC, you guide them to the National Institute of Open Schooling for Class X. With NIOS, you don’t have to force-feed them Mathematics; they can take on what they are good at.
And there is no hard feelings later on. A student who comes through the NIOS Project is still in line for a spot in Class XI at the same government school. That’s to put to rest any worry that open schooling is a dead end for senior secondary.
There is a certain ease to the open schooling model, with its choice and pace. It takes some of the edge off for a repeater and, for some, means they will stick with it rather than walk away.
Impact on principals and counsellors
All of this in the circular is meant to be put into practice right away, as part of the day-to-day. In short, here is what is expected of the schools:
– Get a list of the Class IX repeaters
– Put the double or triple failures first
– Make a personal call to the student and parents
– Sit down for counselling when you can
– Put the case for staying in regular school
– Should they want an SLC, show them to NIOS Class X
– Let them in on the fact that Maths is optional
– Reiterate they can come back for Class XI once NIOS is done
It leaves no room for second-guessing and keeps things even across the board.
What parents should know next
Don’t be surprised by a message or a phone call from the school to have a word. We’ll be talking about what the student is up against, what we can do for them, and the NIOS angle if coming to class every day is out of the question.
For one thing, NIOS means they can get on with Class X and not have to make up a lost year. The leeway to pick and choose and learn in their own time is something a student who has had a hard time before might appreciate.
The Directorate is not mincing words: a rough year shouldn’t be the end of the road. With some good old counselling and the NIOS route, we are trying to make sure no one is left behind and every child is in the game until the very end.
