Shillong, April 22: The Directorate of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) is taking steps to address the expected rise in Class 11 admissions this academic year, following a record 87.10% pass rate in the SSLC Class 10 exams.

Speaking to the media after a review meeting with all District School Education Officers (DSEOs), DSEL Director Banteilang J Kharshandi said, “We had a detailed discussion regarding Class 11 admissions. The first point was the upgradation of four government secondary schools to higher secondary level, which will be taken up by the government.”

This year, 55,473 students cleared the SSLC exams, but there are currently only 51,000 available seats in higher secondary schools.

To bridge this gap, Kharshandi said the department is also exploring the introduction of new academic streams in existing schools and colleges, based on student interest. “DSEOs have been instructed to supply admission forms and collect data from students interested in different streams. If we see sufficient demand – say 30 to 40 students for a particular stream like Science – we will forward the proposal to the cabinet for approval,” he explained.

However, he clarified that opening a new stream for just eight to 10 students would not be feasible due to the number of teachers required.

Another key point discussed in the meeting was the possibility of starting new shifts in existing institutions. “For instance, in Baghmara, the DSEO informed us that there’s good response for a morning shift at Baghmara Government Higher Secondary School and Captain Williamson Sangma Memorial College. They’re expecting around 350 students,” Kharshandi noted. The DSEO has been asked to submit a formal proposal, which will be placed before the cabinet.

On the timeline for implementation, Kharshandi said that DSEOs are expected to finalise all proposals for new streams and shifts by tomorrow. “Once we receive the proposals, the government will take a call on closing admissions and fixing the date for the start of the academic session. Tentatively, we are looking at June 1 as the start date,” he said, adding that the final decision will come after cabinet approval.

When asked if the department is prepared to handle the increase in students, Kharshandi said, “Initially we saw a shortfall, but taking into account the number of private institutions as well as government ones – many of which are willing to upgrade – we should be able to accommodate all students, including those from the upcoming CBSE and ICSE results.”

On teacher recruitment, he mentioned that temporary appointments will be made to meet immediate needs, while regular recruitment will be carried out by the Meghalaya Education Recruitment Board after cabinet clearance.

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