NIOS mix-up leaves students in distress weeks before board exams

The National Institute of Open Schooling NIOS known for accommodating students facing financial or academic challenges has been expanding its careeroriented and skillbased courses However just weeks before their board exams a major controversy has left several secondary students in distressA group of students enrolled in Stream 1 Block 1 of the Secondary Course 202425 were recently informed that their chosen subject Employability Skills 250 is not applicable at their level This shocking revelation came despite students having enrolled received confirmation and paid the required fees in May 2024 The notification of their ineligibility surfaced only a month before their exams causing anxiety and frustrationLack of communicationStudents first learned about the issue when they sought clarification on their Tutor Marked Assignments TMA To their dismay they were informed that Employability Skills 250 was exclusively for ITI students and not for secondary students This came as a complete shock as the subject was listed as an option during enrollment with no warnings issuedDespite multiple appeals to NIOS the board has failed to provide clarity leaving students demanding an immediate resolutionmdasheither permission to take the exam or an alternative that wonrsquot disrupt their academic progressDemand answersFrustrated students have written to NIOS highlighting discrepancies in the subject selection process and lack of timely communication ldquoThis has caused immense stress We need clarity on whether we can take the exam or if alternatives will be providedrdquo read a letter from one of the affected studentsNIOS tutor Agnello Pinto criticised the boardrsquos inaction ldquoAs soon as we discovered the course wasnrsquot meant for NIOS students we sought clarification but got no response All we receive are emails where officials ask each other to lsquotake note of the issuersquo Meanwhile students are left in uncertainty The board initially charged Rs 350 in exam fees for the subject and now just weeks before exams itrsquos suddenly not applicable This is unfair and irresponsiblerdquoHe further pointed out the inefficiency of NIOSrsquos newly introduced grievance redressal system stating that students are unable to submit complaints ldquoNeither students nor I have received any response about their fate as of Wednesday eveningrdquoLogistical failuresThe Employability Skills controversy is just one of many complaints against NIOS this year Students tutors and parents have also reported delays in receiving study materials and practical exam resources Some claim they received textbooks only two weeks ago despite board exams starting in AprilPravin Kale a tutor and parent from the ThaneBadlapur region shared his frustrations ldquoThis year has been particularly chaotic Many SSC students havenrsquot received their textbooks In some centres students who opted for writing their exams in Marathi havenrsquot got their books in the language At one end the NIOS board allows the student to appear exams in Marathi and on the other hand no textbooks are availablerdquoAdding to their distress practical exams for SSC students began on March 18 yet lab files were unavailable ldquoWe had to use last yearrsquos soft copies We can manage these smaller issues but how do we deal with students finding out just before exams that a subject they paid for no longer existsrdquo Kale questionedSystemic issues resurfaceThe controversy has reignited past complaints about NIOSrsquos inefficiency A student who completed his Senior Secondary HSC in 2024 recounted ldquoIt took five months to confirm my admission My practical exam centre was an hour away while my theory centre was much closer Study materials arrived only 15 days before exams The regional office in Pune is unresponsive forcing students to visit in person for even minor issues My study centre was removed without notice leaving me stranded before my Tutor Marked Assignment TMA submissionsrdquoSilence from NIOS officialsDespite repeated attempts for clarification Bipan Mahara the regional director in charge of NIOS Punemdashoverseeing Maharashtra Diu and Damanmdashhas been unreachable The lack of response has only deepened studentsrsquo frustrationsUrgent call for actionWith SSC board exams beginning April 19 for Marathi medium students and April 25 for English medium students time is running out for NIOS to provide answers Stakeholders are urging the board to act swiftly to prevent further academic disruptionsEvery year students face the same issues The exams are just weeks away and therersquos still confusion over courses and missing textbooks said a concerned parent from South Mumbai May 2024Month students paid the feesApril 19Day exam begins for Marathi medium studentsApril 25Day exam begins for English medium students