Thursday, June 18, 2009

The Debate Still Continues...SSC/ICSE/CBSE/etc...

All you must be following the news articles on the debate of the SSC/ICSE/CBSE/etc. students admissions that has been thrown up by the Maharashtra Government decision to have 90:10 % quota system for admission to junior colleges favoring the SSC board. One had sighed a huge relief when the own collegues of the minister had turned on him saying that the matter was lop sided and would not stand a legal ground. But it seems that this minister is hell bent on getting this quota of 90:10% quota passed after taking their legal department's opinion. And, To top this the parents of the SSC board students have come out supporting this move vehemently. What is surprising is that these parents are accusing the ISCE/CBSE /etc. boards of deliberately giving higher marks to thier students. Hence, all this has left the ICSE / CBSE / etc. boards quite jittery. It seems that now that there is a long protracted legal battle looming ahead. So, where does that leave us parents whose wards are studying in the ICSE / CBSE/ etc. boards. Very confused , I suppose. I hope that fair justice prevails and the children do not suffer due to the whims and fancies of some political move. Let there be a level playing field for all and sundry and not play around with the futures of the kids. Let's all wait and watch and see how this progresses out in the coming days. At the end of it it should be a win-win situation for everyone.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Debate - SSC or CBSE / ICSE / IB / IG / etc.

This is my first blog. Got me thinking what to write. Suddenly it dawned on me. The current debate on the Maharashtra government's decision to start a quota/reservation system for admissions to Junior colleges. Should you send your children's to SSC board schools or to the CBSE , ICSE or the new IB or IG curriculum schools. My daughters school was a SSC board school. It is run by a prominent politician and has been existence for the last 10 years. In the year 2003 the school decided to switch over to the ICSE board. They took a poll with all the parents to decide on whether the school should continue with the SSC board or switch over to the ICSE board. The parents overwhelmly decided that the school should switch over to the ICSE board. Hence the school switched over to the ICSE board and the parents collectively (probably barring a few) appreciated it. Now, why did this happen? It happened because we all parents genuinely felt that the SSC board curriculum lagged behind the other mediums, and who does not want the best for their children. It helped that we parents (most of us) themselves had passed out from the ICSE medium and over the years had seen how the students of the SSC board have been faring against the ICSE board. It was a no contest non brainer. Hence, it now pains to read that some politician suddenly wakes up and decides that he shall play the spoiler and be the saviour to the SSC board curriculum by having a quoto / reservation system. It is time that these politicians wake up and do something constructive for the students by bringing the SSC board curriculam on par to the other boards rather than indulge in such petty high handness. I smell a rat here with the looming assembly elections. What better way to please the masses (parents). Right? What say you all?