In a significant move aimed at boosting student success, the Karnataka Department of School Education and Literacy has announced the pre-university (PU) examination timetable a full five months in advance. The initiative, which covers both preparatory and final exams, also involves the release of a question paper blueprint and model papers to bring greater transparency and accountability to the system.
Centralized Reforms for Transparency
The announcement was made by V Rashmi Mahesh, the Principal Secretary of the department, during a meeting with PU college principals in Dakshina Kannada on Saturday. She detailed a key change: the preparatory exam question papers, which were previously set by district-level principal associations, will now be prepared centrally and distributed digitally to all colleges.
"This shift to a centralized system is for greater accountability and transparency," Mahesh explained. She further stated that along with the early timetable, the department has released the exam blueprint and four model question papers to ensure every student can benefit from clear guidance.
Addressing the Alarming Dropout Crisis
Mahesh underscored the critical importance of the II PUC examination as a qualifying gateway for higher studies and careers. She presented stark data revealing that nearly 50% of humanities students fail to clear the exam. Annually, this translates to lakhs of students exiting the education system after failing PUC.
"Sadly, the majority of these students are from government PU colleges and belong to weaker, economically poor sections. A similar trend is seen with SSLC exams," Mahesh noted. She emphasized the national loss, stating, "Losing them from the educational environment means losing a vast pool of human resources. We are not sure where they land after discontinuing education."
Future Reforms and a Call to Action
The government's goal is clear: to bring comprehensive reforms that ensure no student is left behind after their PU exams. Mahesh revealed that similar reforms would be introduced for the SSLC examinations, with a formal announcement expected in the first week of January.
She also addressed the current II PU supplementary exam system, noting it is primarily used by urban and elite students for mark improvement, not by the failing students it was intended for. "Once the failure tag is attached to a student, it is difficult for them to go back to the exam room," she observed.
Concluding with a powerful appeal, Mahesh sought the cooperation of all principals to make the new reforms a success. "If a child is left behind, it is our failure," she stressed, highlighting the collective responsibility of the education system to safeguard every student's future.
