Hills breathe a sigh of relief as CISCE extends registration date for Hill schools

Darjeeling, August 2, 2017: The Hills breathed a sigh of relief with the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations deciding to extend the last date of registration of students for class 9 and 11 for the ICSE and ISC registrations.

With the Darjeeling Hills reeling under an indefinite bandh that hit the 49th day mark on Wednesday, education is the worst affected. Students from all over the globe study in the Hill schools. Darjeeling's image as an education hub however has suffered a major jolt owing to the ongoing agitation.

A cloud of uncertainty had gathered over the future of the students specially the class 9 and class 11 students who are scheduled to register online within August 31 for ICSE and ISC respectively. With the termination of internet services by the State Government since June this too has not been possible. Many feared that the students would lose a year if they failed to register.

However in a meeting of the heads of affiliated schools in Kolkata CISE has assured that students of hills schools of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong will be given the opportunity to register online once the internet services are resumed even after the August 31 deadline.

"They will be provided the docket number by the Council. The docket number is required for registration. Once the schools approach the Council the docket numbers will be provided," stated Nabarun De, General Secretary, Association of Heads of ICSE Schools in West Bengal.

The meeting was attended by Gerry Arathoon , Chief Executive and Secretary, CISCE. "We will ensure that Hill schools do not face any problems" assured Arathoon.
This move has been welcomed by the Hill schools and parents of the students. "This comes as a great relief to us and the students. We are thankful to CISCE for sympathetically considering our case." stated Patha Pratim Dey, Senior Master, Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling.

The Hill Schools had closed down for summer vacation on June 23 but could not resume owing to the indefinite bandh. Most of the Hill schools have made alternate arrangements for the Class 10 and 12 students to continue with their classes in order to complete the syllabus for the board exams.

St. Paul's, a boarding school in Darjeeling is holding "coaching classes" for the class 10 and 12 students in Siliguri. St. Joseph's is holding classes for the boarders in Siliguri and day scholars in Darjeeling. Mount Hermon is holding classes for boarders in Kolkata and day scholars in Darjeeling.

"We were greatly worried about the registration. We are grateful to the Council for this move. It has definitely saved the hill students from losing a valuable academic year" stated Anjay Shah, a businessman from Nepal whose son studies in class 10 at St. Joseph's school, Darjeeling.

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