Alarming Failure Rate Among NIOS Class 10 Students in Delhi

According to recent data from Delhi's Directorate of Education, approximately 70% of students enrolled in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for the Class 10 examination have failed over the past four years. This alarming statistic was revealed following a Right to Information request submitted by PTI.

The NIOS Project was initiated by the Delhi government to address the high failure rates among students in grades 9 and 10, as well as to reduce overall dropout rates. Under this initiative, students who struggle academically are registered with NIOS, where they receive specialized support and separate classes.

In 2024, out of 7,794 registered students under this project, only 37% (2,842 students) successfully passed the examination. The registration numbers have varied over the years, with 8,563 students registered in 2017, peaking at 29,436 in 2023.

Despite the increasing number of registrations, the pass rates have remained dismal. For instance, in 2017, only 3,748 students passed, while in 2023, 7,658 managed to pass the exam. This trend indicates that only about 30% of NIOS students have passed in the last four years.

Principals of the respective schools are responsible for registering students in this program. The examination fees for NIOS are set at ₹500 per subject, with additional charges for practical subjects and transfers of credits.

A government school teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, pointed out two key reasons for the high failure rates: lack of communication between teachers and parents regarding student attendance and the absence of a conducive learning environment for academically weaker students.

Furthermore, it has been noted that principals often enroll struggling students in the NIOS program to improve their school’s overall results, which may inadvertently segregate these students from their peers.

Ashok Agarwal, president of the All India Parents Association, criticized the NIOS curriculum for being substandard compared to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum. He expressed concern that even students who pass will likely be limited to enrolling in the Arts stream in higher grades, jeopardizing their future educational opportunities.

Repeated attempts to contact Hari Ram Sharma, the Deputy Director of the NIOS Project, for comments went unanswered.