-Dipta Joshi

In Maharashtra, excluding Marathi-the state’s official language from the common entrance test (CET) paper that school leaving class X students can opt to write while seeking admissions to class XI aka first year junior college (FYJC) has angered Marathi-medium school managements. School management associations representing Marathi-medium schools are demanding ‘Marathi’ be included as an optional subject alongside English, maths, science and social science subjects making up the 100-mark multiple choice questions (MCQ) CET scheduled for July-end or August first-week.

With the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) class X board exams scheduled April 29-May 20 this year cancelled in view of the rising COVID-19 cases in the state, 1.65 million state board students will be assigned marks on the basis of internal assessments by the school. Additionally, the state’s education minister, Varsha Gaikwad announced a common entrance test to bring “uniformity and comparability in FYJC admissions and to ensure fair play for students across all boards.”

Maharashtra requires class X students to seek fresh admissions into the state-run higher secondary classes XI-XII commonly referred to as junior college. With admissions to the state’s 7000 junior colleges  open to students all boards, national (CBSE and CISCE) and international (IB and Cambridge), the government has tried to provide a level-playing field across all boards by including common subjects. Students’ CET scores will be given preference for all FYJC admissions with the remaining seats being disbursed based on the students’ class X internal assessment marks.

Associations representing Marathi language schools say the move to exclude the language will place lakhs of state board students studying in the Marathi medium schools at a disadvantage to students of other boards and English medium students. Blaming the government of giving secondary status to the state’s official language, school managements are demanding the government come up with two sets of CET papers that allow students to choose between English or Marathi as the 25 marks language subject in the CET MCQ. The associations have written to the state’s chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray and education minister on the issue.

As per the government notification, the CET will be held post July 15 when the class X results based on internal evaluation will be out. Set as per the state board’s class 10 syllabus, each of the four subjects will be assigned 25 marks each.

Also read: Maharashtra: Transfer certificates not required for admissions to state-run & aided schools