<p>Approximately one crore students take the Class 10 exams in India every year. States run their own Boards and curricula, but for most students, this is their first major centralised exam. It is called SSC in some states and Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) in others. In Karnataka, 8,42,173 students appeared for the SSLC this year.</p>.<p>Alongside state boards, private boards are also recognised. The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), earlier known as Senior Cambridge, remains the most popular. In Karnataka, 29,745 students took the ICSE this year, while smaller groups attempted the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate (IB).</p>.<p>The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), established by the central government and initially confined to its own institutions, has expanded to thousands of private schools. This year, 93,017 students from Karnataka appeared for CBSE exams. The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), run by the Union Education Ministry, is also expanding steadily.</p>.Here’s why students can embrace Humanities and Arts.<p>Karnataka’s SSLC is administered by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB), which conducts the exam three times a year. Students who fail in specific subjects can clear them in later attempts without losing a year. The government also supports underprivileged groups—SC, ST, and minority students—through hostels, coaching, and scholarships.</p>.<p>This year, the Board even considered lowering the pass mark from 35% to 33%. Yet only 62% of students cleared the exam (5,24,984), though two additional attempts raised the overall pass percentage to 74% (6,45,273). By comparison, the ICSE achieved a 99% pass rate, and the CBSE surpassed 98% in Karnataka.</p>.<p>The sharp difference has raised doubts about the quality of the state system. However, SSLC schools primarily serve disadvantaged children from rural and low-income families, many of whom attend free government schools. Of the 3,21,841 students who appeared from 5,936 government schools, the pass rate was 62.7%, matching the overall average. This suggests that government schools perform on par with private SSLC schools, despite having limited resources.</p>.<p>Still, enrolment in State Board schools has been shrinking. In 2023–24, 1.4 crore students enrolled; by 2024–25, the number had decreased to 99 lakh. Many drop out along the way—only about eight lakh reach the Class 10 Boards. The decline is puzzling because poorer families, who typically opt for government schools, have higher birth rates.</p>.<p>Surveys suggest that even low-income households are aspiring to better education and are increasingly choosing private schools, assuming they offer superior academic opportunities. The SSLC’s low pass percentage reinforces this perception. Educationist P Niranjananaradhya notes that parents are steadily migrating to other boards.</p>.<p><strong>Weaknesses</strong></p>.<p>Several systemic problems drive this trend. Infrastructure is weak; many schools lack proper facilities for girls’ toilets. Teacher appointments are slow, vacancies remain unfilled, and in some places, one teacher is responsible for multiple classes. Extra-curricular opportunities are rare. Some teachers are highly committed, but negligent ones often face no accountability due to their permanent employment.</p>.<p>Classes are frequently disrupted by census and survey duties that require teachers to be away for months. In rural areas, caste-based barriers continue to influence access to schooling. Even mid-day meals, crucial for attracting poor children, are sometimes irregular or poor in quality.</p>.<p>Private schools, meanwhile, advertise modern facilities—computer labs, playgrounds, swimming pools, yoga and dance classes, even foreign trips. After attracting high-paying parents, they often weed out children unlikely to perform well. Students with special needs are sometimes rejected, and weaker students are expelled before the Board exam to preserve high pass rates.</p>.<p>Another trend is the integration of coaching for JEE and NEET within private schools. Parents are willing to pay steep fees, convinced that an IIT or MBBS degree is the only secure path to success. This has tilted the focus away from balanced academics toward exam preparation, with schools prioritising ranks over holistic learning.</p>.<p>The challenges faced by Karnataka’s SSLC students highlight broader tensions in India’s education system. State boards cater to the most disadvantaged but struggle with low outcomes and declining enrolment.</p>.<p>Private schools often offer better facilities but tend to focus narrowly on achieving high pass percentages and providing entrance exam coaching. Until quality in government schools improves and parents are assured that affordable education can also deliver good results, the migration to private Boards is unlikely to slow.</p>.<p>(The author is an academic counsellor)</p>
<p>Approximately one crore students take the Class 10 exams in India every year. States run their own Boards and curricula, but for most students, this is their first major centralised exam. It is called SSC in some states and Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) in others. In Karnataka, 8,42,173 students appeared for the SSLC this year.</p>.<p>Alongside state boards, private boards are also recognised. The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), earlier known as Senior Cambridge, remains the most popular. In Karnataka, 29,745 students took the ICSE this year, while smaller groups attempted the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate (IB).</p>.<p>The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), established by the central government and initially confined to its own institutions, has expanded to thousands of private schools. This year, 93,017 students from Karnataka appeared for CBSE exams. The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), run by the Union Education Ministry, is also expanding steadily.</p>.Here’s why students can embrace Humanities and Arts.<p>Karnataka’s SSLC is administered by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB), which conducts the exam three times a year. Students who fail in specific subjects can clear them in later attempts without losing a year. The government also supports underprivileged groups—SC, ST, and minority students—through hostels, coaching, and scholarships.</p>.<p>This year, the Board even considered lowering the pass mark from 35% to 33%. Yet only 62% of students cleared the exam (5,24,984), though two additional attempts raised the overall pass percentage to 74% (6,45,273). By comparison, the ICSE achieved a 99% pass rate, and the CBSE surpassed 98% in Karnataka.</p>.<p>The sharp difference has raised doubts about the quality of the state system. However, SSLC schools primarily serve disadvantaged children from rural and low-income families, many of whom attend free government schools. Of the 3,21,841 students who appeared from 5,936 government schools, the pass rate was 62.7%, matching the overall average. This suggests that government schools perform on par with private SSLC schools, despite having limited resources.</p>.<p>Still, enrolment in State Board schools has been shrinking. In 2023–24, 1.4 crore students enrolled; by 2024–25, the number had decreased to 99 lakh. Many drop out along the way—only about eight lakh reach the Class 10 Boards. The decline is puzzling because poorer families, who typically opt for government schools, have higher birth rates.</p>.<p>Surveys suggest that even low-income households are aspiring to better education and are increasingly choosing private schools, assuming they offer superior academic opportunities. The SSLC’s low pass percentage reinforces this perception. Educationist P Niranjananaradhya notes that parents are steadily migrating to other boards.</p>.<p><strong>Weaknesses</strong></p>.<p>Several systemic problems drive this trend. Infrastructure is weak; many schools lack proper facilities for girls’ toilets. Teacher appointments are slow, vacancies remain unfilled, and in some places, one teacher is responsible for multiple classes. Extra-curricular opportunities are rare. Some teachers are highly committed, but negligent ones often face no accountability due to their permanent employment.</p>.<p>Classes are frequently disrupted by census and survey duties that require teachers to be away for months. In rural areas, caste-based barriers continue to influence access to schooling. Even mid-day meals, crucial for attracting poor children, are sometimes irregular or poor in quality.</p>.<p>Private schools, meanwhile, advertise modern facilities—computer labs, playgrounds, swimming pools, yoga and dance classes, even foreign trips. After attracting high-paying parents, they often weed out children unlikely to perform well. Students with special needs are sometimes rejected, and weaker students are expelled before the Board exam to preserve high pass rates.</p>.<p>Another trend is the integration of coaching for JEE and NEET within private schools. Parents are willing to pay steep fees, convinced that an IIT or MBBS degree is the only secure path to success. This has tilted the focus away from balanced academics toward exam preparation, with schools prioritising ranks over holistic learning.</p>.<p>The challenges faced by Karnataka’s SSLC students highlight broader tensions in India’s education system. State boards cater to the most disadvantaged but struggle with low outcomes and declining enrolment.</p>.<p>Private schools often offer better facilities but tend to focus narrowly on achieving high pass percentages and providing entrance exam coaching. Until quality in government schools improves and parents are assured that affordable education can also deliver good results, the migration to private Boards is unlikely to slow.</p>.<p>(The author is an academic counsellor)</p>