Hyderabad: That engineering and medicine are the two main career options for most students in TS and AP is aptly illustrated by the small number of CBSE schools in the two states.
Telangana state has 239 CBSE schools and Andhra Pradesh 224. A small state like Kerala has 1,292 CBSE schools and Chhattisgarh, 524.
Explaining the phenomenon, Oakridge Schools joint managing director M. Prasannanjaneyulu said state-affiliated schools were the first choice for parents. “The parents’ goal is to see their child become a doctor or engineer, for which a good rank in Eamcet was crucial. That test was based on the state syllabus. Hence, the preference to enrol in state-affiliated schools,” he said.
Glendale Academy founder Salman Babu Khan said parents used to enroll students in state-affiliated schools keeping in mind the stronger foundation for maths at the Intermediate level.
“Parents enrolling their child in Class 1 look at the scenario 10 years later. Since Eamcet was based on the state syllabus, it was felt to be better to join their children in schools with state syllabus. Private schools offering state syllabus have mushroomed crossing the 15,000 mark in the state, while CBSE schools are just above 200 in number,” he said.
There is also another factor for new students opting for schools with state syllabus. The syllabus used to be different from the one offered by the CBSE. But Telangana state has since adopted the CCE pattern, which is similar to the CBSE. Children in state and CBSE-affiliated schools are now studying a syllabus that is largely similar. Therefore, Neet, which has been introduced as an entrance test for medical and dental colleges, is not a factor for them to switch.
As far as the IIT-JEE is concerned, students from both state board schools and most of those from CBSE schools seek admissions in corporate colleges with state syllabus. Intermediate colleges focus more on JEE, Eamcet and other entrance exams than the regular exam.
The CBSE has a Board exam only for twelfth while board exam is held for junior and senior intermediate in the state. Hence there are more enrollments in junior colleges compared to CBSE schools that offer plus two classes.
Mostly, students who expect to study abroad or take the civils exam or pursue other careers stay on till Class 12 in CBSE.
CBSE yet to make a mark in towns
Schools affiliated to CBSE are yet to make inroads into Tier-2 cities and district headquarters towns in TS and AP. Most of the CBSE schools are located in cities Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Vijayawada.
Places like Warangal and Karimnagar have CBSE schools but the figure does not cross even double digits.
According to Telangana Recognised School Managements Association president S. Srinivas Reddy, establishing CBSE schools is not an easy task in the districts.
“Most of the parents in districts are not that educated to guide children on work assignments that are different from the state syllabus. Hence, admissions will not be at the desired levels. Also, CBSE has strict norms regarding teaching faculty and infrastructure, which is not viable for managements,” he said.
Ms Neetha Ratnakar, principal, Stanley Girls School, Malak-pet said that most families in the Old City opted for state-affiliated schools. “They do not shift to other places. Hence they prefer to put their children in state-affiliated schools,” she said.
DAV regional co-ordinator Seetha Kiran said the mindset of parents especially in urban areas was changing and there was a rush for admissions in most of the schools that have CBSE syllabus.
“Parents and students are dreaming of careers in civils and management as well as higher studies abroad,” she said.
