Maharashtra: FYJC registrations to begin today, 1st merit list on Aug 27

Results for the Class 10 batch was instead based on students’ performance in Class 9 and 10 combined. This decision helped boost marks of students across school education boards

Confusion and ambiguity surrounding the online registrations and admissions to first year junior college (FYJC-Class 11) seats ended on Friday with the release of the final admissions schedule.

Representational photo.

After the Bombay high court (HC) recently clarified that FYJC admissions will be conducted based on students’ Class 10 marks and not any entrance test, the office of the latest schedule released by the Secondary and Higher Secondary office states that online registrations will begin from August 14, Saturday.

While the provisional general merit list will be released on August 23, the first general merit list will be released on August 27 at 10am.

“In the year 2021-22, Common Entrance Test (CET) was introduced for Class 11 admission. This CET, however, has been cancelled as per a government resolution dated August 11. AS per directions of the Bombay HC also instructions have been given by the education department to start the process of FYJC admission in the state,” said a circular released by the department of secondary and higher secondary education on Friday.

This year, Class 10 board exams across several school education boards had to be scrapped due to rising Covid-19 cases. Results for the Class 10 batch was instead based on students’ performance in Class 9 and 10 combined. This decision helped boost marks of students across school education boards. While the overall success rate of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) students was 99.5% this year, ICSE student in Maharashtra and CBSE students from the Pune region (which includes Mumbai) boasted of a 100% success rate.

Considering no exam was held for class 10, the state government decided to conduct a CET exam, based only on the state board syllabus, in order to bring students from all boards on the same platform for FYJC admissions. While the exam was left optional, state minister for school education had clarified that priority in the first common merit list will be given to those students who appear for the CET. Nearly 11 lakh students had already registered for the exam which was scheduled to be conducted in physical mode on August 21.

A petition filed by an ICSE student questioned the logic behind conducting an entrance exam based on the state board syllabus for all FYJC aspirants, and the need for a physical exam. The HC then directed for the CET to be scrapped and admissions to be conducted based on Class 10 marks only.

“It was unfair for the state government to force all students to appear for an exam based on a syllabus alien to non-state board students. While the initial hurdle is over, we are now worried about high cut-offs once admission begin,” said Sharanya K, an ICSE student from Andheri.

This year, the almost 100% success rate for SSC, ICSE as well as CBSE Class 10 students also meant a large number of students scoring 90% and above. More and more ICSE and CBSE schools witnessed 50% or more of their batches scoring 90% and above in their results this time round. Similarly, figures made public by the Maharashtra state board revealed that SSC 1,04,633 students received more than 90% marks and 957 (including 32 in Mumbai division alone) students got 100% this year.