Painters of higher secondary students fest to miss out NID test

Thrissur: The higher secondary students participating in the painting competitions in the state school youth festival are a harried lot as the entrance test for the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad,  will  take place on Sunday, the day of the competitions.  Though they have appealed for postponing  the event, the director of public instruction has ruled out any change in the date. This year,  Thiruvananthapuram is the lone centre in the state for the NID entrance.

According to one of the students who have applied for the entrance test and  the painting contest,  he got the hall ticket for the entrance only two days ago. “I sent emails to the NID, the chief minister, education minister and the general education secretary requesting to postpone the events under their control. The NID has expressed its  inability to change the date,” the contestant said.

K. Yamini, a student of Thalassery St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, had got first prize in oil painting and water colour competitions last year in the  youth festival.  She got admission to the NID also after the entrance test.

“Both events are important for the  students and they are keen on attempting both. The state authorities alone can help  by postponing the event,” said a higher secondary teacher. 

 “It is not difficult also as it is a non-stage event. It is for the first time that events in state youth festival are held on Sundays whereas   national entrances are held on Sundays. So the state authorities should intervene and postpone the oil painting and water colour events,”the teacher pointed out. Mr K.V. Mohan Kumar,  director of public instruction,  told DC that it was  impossible to change the date at the last hour. “The issue had so far not been brought to our notice. We reduced the festival days from seven  to five  and hence are under tremendous pressure. There is no point in saying that it is not held on Sundays as it is conducted continuously and Sunday may or may not fall among the days. The judges for the event have been invited and if postponed, it would inconvenience them. The students have to make a choice between the youth fest and the entrance now,” he added.