SHILLONG, June 24: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Wednesday questioned the state Education department’s decision to exempt missionary schools and those under the Meghalaya Association for Linguistic Minorities Educational Institutions from the common examination system for Classes VI to VIII.
A KSU delegation, led by education secretary Alerick Kharjana, met the Director of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), BJ Kharshandi, to seek clarification on the matter.
Kharjana told reporters that the exemptions contradict the department’s stated objective of ensuring uniformity and academic standards across the state. He referred to a DSEL notification from May 20, which allowed these institutions to opt out on the grounds that they possess a “robust system” for conducting internal exams.
The KSU, however, challenged the criteria used to determine which schools qualify for such exemptions, arguing that the move could undermine efforts to bridge educational disparities between urban and rural schools.
The Union also raised concerns over the repeated rescheduling of the Social Science examination for the same classes. Initially set for June 23, the exam was moved to June 29 and then to June 30.
Kharjana stated that these frequent changes have caused confusion among students and imposed unnecessary financial burdens on schools that had already printed question papers for the original dates. He urged the department to exercise better planning to ensure consistency and fairness in the state’s education system.
