Mumbai, July 07: The reactions were predictable: students of the state board were disappointed, those of other boards jubilant. Whatever their mood, all got ready for admission, with decks for the process cleared after the verdict.
“It is a victory for parents, students and the Association of ICSE Schools of Maharashtra. Our students can now go ahead with a normal admission procedure,” said Perin Bagli, principal of Activity High School, Gamdevi.
“Parents of several ICSE students had filed PILs to fight injustice. Justice has been done,” said Firoz Bhanbhura, one of the petitioners.
For parents like Hema Dahiya, whose daughter passed from Christ Church School (ICSE), Byculla, the verdict was a vindication of the Facebook campaign she had started. Parents of students from Bombay Scottish School, Mahim, had launched a signature campaign.
Another petitioner, Sanjay Kher, who has a son who passed from Bombay Scottish School, spared a thought for SSC students: “We understand SSC students score less and suffer during admission.
However, reservation of this kind was not fair. It was a hasty, unplanned decision. Last year, the percentile formula had met a similar fate. It reflects badly on the way the government is handling our state.”
Though the government is not keen to challenge the order, the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) United Forum is contemplating such a move, said Sunita Godbole, member of the forum.
“The judiciary was our last hope of getting rid of the injustice that SSC students faced. Now that this hasn’t happened, we will go to the Supreme Court. We will have to think fast because we don’t want students to suffer.”
Rekha Vijaykar, principal of Guru Har Kishan High School (SSC), Santacruz, said, “It’s time the state board looked at what it lacks and works on improving itself. Our evaluation system leaves a lot to be desired.” She pointed out that full marks are rarely given in SSC.
Vijaykar felt the ‘best five’ subjects could be taken into consideration for admission to ensure that SSC students don’t lose out.
Admission begins after the first merit list on July 14. Ahan Shah, an SSC student of Manik Vidya Mandir, Bandra, who scored 86 per cent, said, “I hoped the quota would stay. I had applied for commerce at Podar, Jai Hind, Ruparel and other colleges. With the quota scrapped, Podar will be difficult.”
Saanaee Naik of Vasant Vihar High School (SSC), Thane, who scored 90 per cent, said, “I am disappointed because I want to get into St Xavier’s in arts stream. The 90:10 quota would have helped.”
Kher said, “My grouse is that the government has created bitterness among students of different boards. My son will join students from all boards in junior college and even before they become classmates, the episode has pitted them against each other.”
The date for application and submission of online forms has been extended by a day, till 5 30 pm on Tuesday. Discrepancies in filled forms can be corrected at submission centres on July 8 and 9.
–Agencies