-Mita Mukherjee

The West Bengal state higher secondary education council will allow its affiliated schools to increase their class XI seats from 275 to 400 this year, the council said on Thursday.

The permission to admit excess students has been granted as the demand for class XI seats is expected to be greater this time because all 10,79,749 candidates who had enrolled for the Madhyamik (Class X board) exam were declared successful this time, a senior official of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education said.

Till last year the schools could admit maximum 275 students in class XI. It was mandatory to take the permission of the council if any school wanted to admit excess students. The clearance of the council was required even for increasing a single seat.

No permission of the council will be required to admit up to 400 students this time, the council official said.

There are around 7000 higher secondary schools in Bengal. After the Madhyamik results were declared, the heads of many such schools had approached the council with an appeal to lift the cap on admission.

The results of the Madhyamik examinations were declared on July 20, with 100 percent results, pass percentage has increased by 13.66 percent resulting in rise in demand for seats in class XI.  

The process of admission of students to class XI has already started in the schools. Heads of several schools have brought to the notice of the council that there is huge pressure to admit students and many applicants won’t be able to study further if no relaxation on admission is given.

Also read: No new courses, no increase in seats in West Bengal colleges this year