Covid impact? Class 9, 11 UP Board admissions register 4 lakh fall
The huge decrease in the number of students getting enrolled in these two classes is despite the fact that the Board had extended the last date for taking admissions thrice
PRAYAGRAJ: The number of Class 9 and Class 11 students in more than 28,000 secondary schools affiliated to the UP Board has fallen by nearly 4 lakh, a comparison of numbers from last year shows.
The huge decrease in the number of students getting enrolled in these two classes is despite the fact that the Board had extended the last date for taking admissions thrice in view of the pandemic.
After the passing of the last date of advance registration for these two classes on October 31, a total of 49,38,316 students have taken admission including 26,95,269 in Class 9 and 11,22,43,047 in Class 11. Last year, 53,28,373 students were admitted in these two classes. Thus, there have been 3,90,057 fewer registrations for both these classes.
This year, the number of students registering for Class 10 and Class 12 has also decreased by 73,741 students.
UP Board secretary Divyakant Shukla said that 29,76,659 students have registered for high school and 25,56,718 for intermediate this year. Thus a total of 55,33,377 students have registered for these two classes.
“These children will appear in the 2021 board examination which is less than last year, when 56,07,118 students registered,” he said.
There has been a decline in the number of students from Class 9 to 12 as well. The decline was anticipated by teachers and school administrations and it was already being feared that there would be fewer students in these classes. Due to the pandemic, the financial condition of many parents, especially those coming from a rural background, have suffered a setback, and in some cases, it has become so bad that it has become difficult to pay the children’s school fees.
School authorities inform that despite repeated reminders to parents, fees was not being deposited. This was the reason that the Board extended the registration date thrice and the purpose was that more and more children could get the opportunity to study further.
“But to the best of our efforts and giving three opportunities, some parents did not deposit the fee of their children and thus they were not registered for Classes 9 or 11,” said KP College principal YK Singh.