With SSLC projects crammed into one week, result is a hotchpotch

It’s a rush to the finish line for students set to write the SSLC examination in March 2015. Many students are finding the whole exercise a harrowing experience as they are bearing the brunt of delayed training for the teachers and lack of clarity about the procedure.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Aditi (name changed), a student of a school in Bangalore South, said that in her school, the students were given one week's time to complete the projects. The students study six subjects and have to complete two projects in each subject.

“We are not allowed to take material from the internet. I have been making trips to the Central library, which is closed for the past five days. There is too much pressure to finish all activities in a short period.”

Lack of library facilities in schools are another disadvantage for students who are struggling to find reference material. Students said that on one hand, studying for the syllabus had taken a back seat owing to the project work and on the other, they failed to do justice to projects due to the time constraint. Most schools have cancelled the PT period, class trips and other extra curricular activities to make room for the revised syllabus.

Mahima (name changed), another SSLC student in the City, said the school timings stretched from 8 am to 4 pm. “With an hour’s break after that to reach home and freshen up, we have to get cracking immediately on the day’s assignments. In spite of that, there is not enough time.” Mahima’s classmate Deepti said, “We do not get time to read textbooks. If we do not understand the basic concept, how are we expected to do projects?

” She said the mistakes in textbooks were adding to their woes and in subjects like Mathematics where new chapters have been added, teachers themselves were unsure of the concepts.