Students, beware: inspectors to check if you’re attending college!

After HSC, students secure admission to professional courses based on their performance in pre-entrance exams. Representation pic

Responding to concerns about low attendance in junior colleges and in alignment with previous state government directives, the directorate of secondary and higher secondary education is set to launch inspections across all junior colleges in the state.

Beyond the Std XII curriculum, junior college students who are preparing for entrance exams such as those for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), medical schools, and others now face an added factor to consider. The director of secondary and higher secondary education has mandated a focused scrutiny of junior college attendance levels, with a particular emphasis on instances of significant class absences. The inspection drive has already commenced in Pune.

The matter of students prioritising coaching classes and entrance exam preparation over attending classes in Std XI and Std XII has long been a subject of debate. The education department had attempted to restore significance to Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam scores for engineering admissions during 2014-2015, aiming to encourage students' focus on their Std XII exams. However, irregular attendance remains common in numerous junior colleges.

After completing the HSC, students secure admission to professional courses solely based on their performance in pre-entrance exams like JEE, NEET, and CET. The marks obtained in HSC board exams hold little importance for these professional courses. Consequently, students and parents tend to undervalue junior colleges, directing their focus towards coaching classes that specialise in preparing for these entrance exams. This approach often leads to students not securing seats in many private classes.

"Admission to a junior college is a mere formality for many students. They pass the HSC with good marks without attending junior college regularly. They rely solely on coaching classes throughout the year. Many even opt for integrated courses in junior colleges that align HSC classes with training for entrance exams. This trend is observed not only in self-financed or unaided colleges but also in aided junior colleges. Consequently, attendance in many junior colleges has dwindled. Mumbai should start such inspections soon, following Pune's lead," remarked an administrator from a Mumbai junior college. In light of this concern, and to monitor the situation closely, the education department plans to conduct unannounced inspections using specialised teams.

During the recent monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly, questions were raised regarding the collaboration between private coaching classes and junior colleges. Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that the school education department would address the issue of low student attendance. However, no formal order from the government has been issued on this matter yet.

"All junior colleges are expected to adhere to government regulations. While the mandatory 75 per cent attendance rule is closely followed at degree colleges, complaints about inadequate attendance in many junior colleges have surfaced. Taking note of these concerns, inspections will be conducted in junior colleges," stated Sampat Suryavanshi, director of secondary and higher secondary education, in Maharashtra.

75%
Minimum attendance required in junior college