Chennai: The impact of National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (Neet) and conducting twin board exams for higher secondary classes is being felt by state board schools since 20 per cent of students opted out of bio-maths in plus-1 this year.
In a worrying sign, the overall enrollment in state board schools was also down by 61,000 as compared to 2017-18 in which 8.61 lakh students enrolled for the first year of higher secondary.
According to the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) data gathered by the school education department, only 2.05 lakh students have joined the bio-maths group in plus-1 against 2.60 lakh in the previous year.
Besides bio-maths, the maths-computer science group also recorded a decline by 12,000 while commerce group recorded an increase of 12 per cent with 1.49 lakh students opted to join the group this year.
When enquired, officials from the school education department pointed out that overall students coming out from class 10 in state board schools was also down by 30,000 in 2018 compared to 2017.
After the introduction of Neet and twin public exams for higher secondary classes, the interest among students to join plus-1 has decreased.
Although 8.60 lakh students had joined plus-1 last year, only 8.47 lakh students appeared for the board exam.
"There is limited scope for rural students to pursue bio-maths in plus-1. They cannot join MBBS following the introduction of Neet. Even if they get a seat in government quota in private medical colleges most of them cannot afford," a headmaster of a government school in the city said.
He further said the science group, in general, is facing a crisis due to lack of good opportunities for students.
A. Ramesh, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary School Headmasters' Association, said, "Due to lack of interest among bright students, many schools have admitted students with low marks in the bio-maths group this year."
Till last year, the students with over 400 marks would find it difficult to get admission in the biology group.
Even in matriculation schools, the demand for bio-maths groups has come down.
"In general, the admissions in biology group have dropped by 40 per cent in many schools. However, there was a huge demand for commerce group," said N.Vijayan, founder and principal of Zion MatricHigher Secondary School in Tambaram.
Usually, thousands of CBSE students will migrate to state board schools every year. "This year there was almost no migration of students from CBSE schools due to Neet," he added.
Educationist Prince Gajendrababu said if the trend continues it will have a long-term impact as the bio-maths group is crucial in producing scientists and professors.
"Now, an idea is being spread among students and parents that they cannot get admission in higher educational institutions without attending coaching classes. The importance of higher secondary classes have been reduced to so much that it is preventing the students from pursuing plus 1 in state board schools," he said.
Many headmasters from government private schools felt that this year many students have joined polytechnic colleges instead of class 11.
But sources directorate of technical education said the admissions in polytechnic colleges have come down during the last two years.
From 1.10 lakh in 2017-18, the enrollment in diploma courses have come down to 1.05 lakh in 2018-19, they added.School education department officials said there is a possibility of reverse migration of students from the state board to CBSE schools due to Neet.In the last few years, the number of CBSE schools has increased many folds to over 1,000 schools in the state. Many students are also migrating to neighbouring states to pursue higher secondary while preparing for entrance exams.
