Nabarangpur: The ongoing matriculation examination has been marked by serious absenteeism with over 2,000 candidates in the district were found to have not turned during the examination, a report said.
These students were found absent not in one or two subjects but every subject since the start of the examination, the report said.
Over 13 per cent of the candidates who received admit cards were found absent in every subject of the examination. This has happened as several students have gone outside with their family members to attend marriage celebrations or some function while many have migrated outside to work.
A senior official of the education department said that many students have dropped out of schools due to poverty to work as casual labourers. He said that this situation will continue as long as parents do not understand the importance of education and students are not inclined towards studies.
Reports said that over 15,536 students filled up their forms for the HSC examination. Among them, 13,402 candidates have received admit cards to appear the examination out of which 2,134 students have not turned up to appear the examination in the examination centre.
Sources from the District Education Office (DEO) said that 2,102 candidates were absent on the first day of the examination April 29, 2,104 students May 2, 2,057 students May 4, 2,155 students May 5 and 2, 134 students May 6.
The state government has launched various schemes and providing several benefits to attract the students to the schools. It has been providing free stipends, free textbooks, free bicycles, provision of free form fill-up, free accommodation in hostels for students of backwards and marginalised sections of the society and various other benefits to attract the students towards studies in the school. However, this has failed to have any impact on the students and their guardians in drawing the students towards studies.