Flunked SSC? You can still get into college

Students of Classes 10 and 12 from the Maharashtra state board who fail in two subjects in their final exams won’t lose a year now, the state government announced on Friday.

Students of Classes 10 and 12 from the Maharashtra state board who fail in two subjects in their final exams won’t lose a year now, the state government announced on Friday. They will be able to take admission to the next class and need to clear their failed subjects within a year, a process referred to as ‘allowed to keep terms’ (ATKT).

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Around 1.97 lakh SSC students and 1.6 lakh HSC students benefit from the decision this year as Education Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil has said it would be applicable with immediate effect.

“Students will be allowed two attempts to clear their ATKT, one in October and the next in March,” explained Vikhe-Patil. “We had discussions on the issue of students failing and how we might be able to stop them from wasting a year,” Vikhe-Patil said.

In Mumbai, junior college admissions for ATKT students of Class 10 will begin after the second round of admissions on August 4. Admission procedures for regular colleges (offering arts, science and commerce degree courses) will start immediately for HSC students. Courses managed by the higher and technical education department don’t come under this rule, and have not taken a decision on whether they will permit ATKT for HSC students.

Pradeep Kulkarni, principal of D.G. Ruparel College, Matunga, said the decision would benefit good students who fail to clear a subject because of personal issues. “Because a student flunks in a couple of subjects, it does not necessarily mean the student is a failure. There have been quite a few instances when due to some unavoidable circumstances students cannot appear for their exams. If this can save a year, I welcome the idea,” Kulkarni said.

(With inputs by Pratiksha Puri)