In Mamata's Bengal, 64,910 Female Students Withdraw from Higher Secondary Exam
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Synopsis
Kolkata, Feb 28 (NationPress) A notable decrease in female students taking the higher secondary exams in West Bengal raises concerns about their engagement with education post-secondary level.
Key Takeaways
- The number of female students in Uccha Madhyamik has decreased by 19%.
- 64,910 female aspirants have opted out of the examination.
- Declining Kanyashree Prakalpa beneficiaries indicate reduced interest in higher education.
- Budget allocation for higher education shows a slight increase.
- Experts suggest many girls drop out after Madhyamik education.
Kolkata, Feb 28 (NationPress) The count of female students participating in the higher secondary examinations organized by the West Bengal state board has seen a significant decline, prompting concerns regarding their willingness to take the exam.
This issue was highlighted by comparing the number of female candidates for the “Uccha Madhyamik (Higher Secondary)” examination arranged by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) this March to the equivalent number of female candidates in the “Madhyamik (Secondary examination)” held by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) in 2023.
The female candidates from the 2023 Madhyamik examination are now the Uccha Madhyamik candidates this year.
According to statistics from the state education department, the total number of female candidates in the 2023 Madhyamik examination was 3,42,902. In contrast, the number of female candidates for the Uccha Madhyamik examination set for next month is 2,77,992. This indicates that 64,910 female students have chosen not to participate.
This reflects a 19 percent decrease in the number of female Uccha Madhyamik candidates compared to the previous year's Madhyamik examination.
Experts in education suggest that this drop indicates that a significant portion of female candidates has opted out after their “Madhyamik” education, while a smaller segment may have transitioned to other boards.
Additional statistics also support the trend of diminishing interest among female candidates in the state pursuing higher education following their secondary examination.
One such statistic is the decreasing number of beneficiaries receiving monthly allowances through the Kanyashree Prakalpa, which is the state's initiative to encourage young girls to continue their education, offering a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000.
In the academic year 2023-24, there were 20.69 lakh recipients of this monthly allowance. However, with just a month left in the ongoing academic year of 2024-25, the figure has dropped to approximately 15.75 lakh, as reported by the state education department.
In the state budget proposals for the financial year 2025-26, the allocation for higher education in West Bengal showed a slight increase compared to the previous year's budget. The proposed budget for higher education for 2025-26 stands at Rs 6,593.58 crore, a marginal rise from the Rs 6,401.11 crore proposed for 2024-25.
