Students are skipping exams as a result of Chhattisgarh's free exam policy.

Students are skipping exams as a result of Chhattisgarh's free exam policy.

Last Updated Mar - 28 - 2025, 01:14 PM | Source : NDTV | Visitors : 10

A pitiful 9% of people showed up for the Fisheries Inspector exam on March 23. Officials were perplexed as only 1,900 of the 21,000 candidates showed up.

Education has now entered the fray in a nation where the word "free" has become a political catchphrase.  In an attempt to increase test accessibility, Chhattisgarh Vyapam eliminated examination costs, but the decision has backfired.  The value of free services is being called into question by the startling number of students who are completing paperwork but failing to show up for the tests.
In India, the freebie period has spread to education in addition to water, electricity, and rations.  Exam centre attendance, however, indicates a different picture, even though Chhattisgarh Vyapam's decision to eliminate exam costs resulted in a spike in applications.  A pitiful 9% of people showed up for the Fisheries Inspector exam on March 23.  Officials were perplexed as only 1,900 of the 21,000 candidates showed up.

 "The exam pattern was not tough," a candidate named Suraj Namdev claims.  "People register because it's free but don't prepare seriously, so they don't show up."

 This pattern extends beyond a single exam.  Turnout for the state's several competitive exams is still disappointing:

Pre-BA BEd: 7,620 out of 37,037 applicants showed up

 PET: 12,070 candidates out of 22,815 showed up

 Pre-MCA: 1,220 candidates out of 7,295

 Out of 52,628 candidates, 27,883 showed up for BSc Nursing.

 MSc Nursing: 1,578 out of 7,189 applicants showed up

 Although he accepts the tendency, Joint Exam Controller Kedar Patel is unsure of its causes.  Only 1,900, or about 9% of the 21,000 applicants, showed up for the Fisheries Inspector exam.  Although we are unable to determine the reason for the lack of applicants, 50 to 55 percent of applicants often show up for other Vyapam exams.

Experts contend that students' disinterest in these tests is a result of their lack of financial commitment.  Educationist Rajiv Gupta suggests a refundable charge scheme that is comparable to reservations for trains.  "Charging a nominal fee and refunding it to those who appear will ensure that only serious candidates apply," he claims.

Political voices are also being heard in the meanwhile.  Gaurishankar Shrivas, a BJP spokesperson, accuses the former administration of incompetence as a result of this policy.  "Our government will soon decide on the interest of all," he promises.

 Instead of democratising education, Vyapam's free exam policy has led to an influx of dishonest applicants.  The government now has to decide whether to keep offering free tests or take steps to guarantee that only serious applicants apply in light of the thousands of applications and low attendance.

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