At least 19 students killed themselves in a span of one week since Telangana Intermediate Examination results were announced on April 18.
Following the reported suicides and protests by the parents, the Telangana government has swung into action with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) reviewing the situation with Minister of Education G Jagdishwar Reddy. The chief minister also ordered the concerned authorities to do a free-of-cost re-evaluation of students’ papers.
Parents claim that something went wrong in the correction process as the job of processing the results was given to a software company. They alleged that the group led to the failure of 3 lakh students.
A total of 9.5 lakh students appeared for the intermediate first-year and second-year examinations in March this year.
Parents and students claimed that those students who passed with distinction in most papers have been awarded single digit marks against expectations, declaring them a ‘File’. Parents and students allege negligence in the matter.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, amid protests by students’ parents and student organisations, Chief Minister KCR held a review meeting at Pragathi Bhawan which was attended by Minister of education G Jagadeesh Reddy, Educational Secretary B Janardhan Reddy, Secretary Board of Intermediate Education A Ashok and Chief Advisor to the Government Rajeev Sharma.
K Chandrashekhar Rao issued instructions to the concerned officers to do free-of-cost re-verification and re-counting of papers of all the intermediate students who failed the examinations.
K Chandrashekhar Rao further instructed that the re-verification and re-counting process should be expedited and completed as early as possible. The chief minister also said that it should be followed with conducting advanced supplementary examinations so that the academic year is not lost.
“This year 9.74 lakh students appeared for the intermediate examination. Out of these 3.28 lakhs failed. Some students and their parents are of the opinion that during the process of addition of marks mistakes took place resulting in less marks than expected and hence they failed,” KCR said.
The CM also enquired about the suicides and termed it “unfortunate”.
He appealed to the students to value their life and said, “Failing in examination does not amount to failing in life. Life is precious. Even if one fails in the examination, there will be plenty of opportunities.”
