Looking for parity in disparity
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 22, 2014 -

Drawing flaks from all around over the consistent poor performance of the Government schools, the Government of Manipur seems to have done the right thing by giving its approval to the Education Department in charge of School administration for starting a centralised admission system for students in class XI in respect of eight Government Higher Secondary Schools in the State from this academic session onwards.

Centralised admission system or process, as it is called in some States, is not just an attempt to simplify the normally cumbersome admission procedures that the students and their worried parents have to go through at the time of seeking admission every year but it is also a proven effort towards bringing about parity in education of the students. This system or process has already been implemented in educational institutions in other parts of the country with great extent of success.

So, the approval of a similar centralised admission system in the State for the first time even if the eight Schools selected, namely Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy, Churachand Singh Higher Secondary School, Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Ram Lal Paul Higher Secondary School, Ibotonsana Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Tamphasana Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Lamlong Higher Secondary School and Model Higher Secondary School, for introduction of the system are concentrated only in Imphal area shows the commitment of the Government of Manipur and its Education Department towards revamping the ‘ailing’ education system and ‘failing’ Government schools.

Unlike in the past, students now have to just fill up one common form for seeking admission in any of these eight schools.

This would not only save the precious time of the students but also the hard-earned money of their parents in going from one school to another for getting the admission forms, filling them up and then submitting them.

Putting in place a common cut off mark for all stream of studies, namely Science, Arts and Commerce and then allocating seats to students in these eight schools as per the merit list prepared on the basis of the secured by them in the High School Leaving Certificate Examination or equivalent examination after taking into consideration of the choices made known by the students in the common admission form itself as well as prescribing a common admission fee structure for all the schools under the ambit of centralised admission system would surely go a long away in ensuring parity in education in the State.

It has also been assured that posting of sufficient teaching and non-teaching staff to these eight schools would be ensured along with upgradation of laboratories and other facilities on priority basis.

Most importantly, there would be an interchange of transfer and posting of teachers in these schools to instil confidence among the people on the intent of the Government towards improving the functioning of its schools.

Well, as in most Government plans, all these sound so good to be true and one question that remains in the mind of the people is, how many toppers or highest mark scorers would be actually encouraged to come rushing to seek admission in these schools in view of the existing disparity not just in term of infrastructures but also in the number of courses offer for studies?

Even Delhi University had to do a rethink after its centralised admission process fall flat without doing a serious work home on the courses students wish to pursue in this age of globalisation.