Although around 76 lakh students opt for open schooling, many colleges do not accept graduation certificates from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
Many students in high school say they chose to study in an open school rather than in traditional classrooms as they felt it would be an easier option and pressure free. However, parents object to the choice because it defies accepted social mores.
“I graduated from NIOS as I was earning a living on the side by teaching western classical music,” stated Franklin Mathew, a music teacher at the Trinity School of Music, Koramangala. In order to earn better, I wanted to teach music in schools and universities and I intended to seek further education. He claimed that after applying to a degree college, he was informed that he would not be accepted since NIOS applicants are not accepted there because their results come in later than those of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ISCE), and State Board. To guarantee a seat, he was required to pay an additional amount.
Sarah (name changed), a ninth-grade student said that she had a difficult time convincing her parents to let her chose to study in Bethany High School as they have an option of NIOS. Initially, her parents were concerned it had something to do with her cognitive skills. However, after several sessions of counselling, the folks understood that NIOS has its benefits. The benefits of NIOS include the choice of subjects, one final exam, one to two years of a learning period and coaching centre options around the country.
Sarah said, “I have been bullied for not scoring well in subjects that my friends find easy. My confidence was shaken and so I sought advice from a few friends in and around my neighbourhood. A handful of them suggested that I opt for NIOS in Bethany saying that it was pressure free and an easier choice to obtain a high school certificate without having to repeat a grade due to underperformance.”
Divya Manohar, a teacher at one of the board exam centres for NIOS at Spastic Society, Indiranagar said that all the students who write the NIOS exams do well since they have enough time to thoroughly study and comprehend the material. She said that students who apply in the ninth-grade are not allowed to take the boards until they are 15 yearsold, or in their tenth-grade.
Additionally, Divya had mentioned that there would be just one exam at the end of the course and a small number of tasks throughout, which would be graded as in-class assignments and fall under the “practical” category. The final exam is the theory portion.
Aman, a father of three said that he had a difficult time focusing on Harshini (name changed), one of his daughters. He said that all of Harshini’s teachers in school were concerned since she had been receiving less than 40 percent in all her assessments. Her former teachers at Baldwins suggested she try homeschooling and attributed her lack of progress to her interest in painting or music and the fact that she had no friends to socialize with.
Aiyshu, Harshini’s mother had different views on the situation. She said, “I stuck by the fact that it had nothing to do with her not having any friends; my daughter was always complaining about the pressure students were under to finish multiple assessments and prepare for tests every week.” She added that she had consulted with family and friends and almost all of them had said there was a problem with Harshini. She said, “My husband and I sent her to an open school as a last resort, and to our complete surprise, she is doing well and has even managed to score well.”
Dr. Shravanthi, a psychologist said that children who choose to attend open schools do not in any way differ from students attending regular schools. Peer pressure and mental pressure are not the same thing. A kid must comprehend an idea thoroughly in order to perform well, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been performing well since they were young children, she said. However, there may be other factors at play as well, such as a general lack of interest or in some cases, having a brilliant child, which causes them to lose interest in traditional educational methods quickly, she added It is never pinned down to just one reason. NIOS has a bunch of interesting subjects like Home Science, painting, psychology, additional English and language choices like French, Sanskrit and Spanish, she elaborated.
