Bhubaneswar: More than 18,000 students have dropped out of the annual Matriculation examination across Odisha this year.
According to sources in DEO offices, Balangir district reported highest dropout of 1,199 students on the first day of the examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Examination (BSE). It is followed by Balasore with 1,158 dropouts, Kalahandi 766, Jajpur 755, Koraput 686, Khurda 494, Cuttack 420, Kendrapada 425 and Jagatsinghpur 235 students.
Similarly, 500 students each from Open School and for Madhyama examination remained absent from the examination. Total 5,41,247 students had filled up the forms to appear at the examination in the state this year. Around 14,000 students did not appear at the summative I test held earlier.
Speaking to media persons on the causes of high dropout of the Matric examinees on Monday, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Dash said, “When a student fills up the form after making payment of the examination fees, he would feel compelled to appear at the examination. Since the government has waived the fees this year, it is obvious that the student would not find it compelling to appear at the examination and may drop out of it.”
Besides, the minister said the students, who did not appear at the summative I test, naturally dropped out of summative II.
“However, I don’t know the exact number of the dropout students and will make query about it after the examination is over. The department will take up the matter seriously and ascertain the causes responsible for it,” he added.
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