As students twitter away in their board exam answer sheets, a problem of 'ggntic' proportions is in the making. When these answers end up with SMS-illiterate moderators, not only will they be left fazed, but given the lack of an official stand on the matter, will also have to individually determine whether 'textisms' are acceptable or not.

It is not that the students are unaware of the pitfalls of writing 'Us' and '2s', but hundreds of quick-fire smses seem to have formed an unbreakable habit, and try as they may, SMS lingo creeps in unconsciously.

An English lecturer from KC College, Sagarika Chattopadhyay, said: "There is an increasing tendency among students to use abbreviated words while answering their papers. Such mistakes in other subjects may be pardonable, but in English they will lose marks."

Another moderator from the state board, said: "In case a student uses SMS language in a non-language paper, very often we cut marks. But if it's used in a few places, and the answer is correct, we give them full marks. Most teachers are not even aware of the abbreviations."

Students themselves are at a loss about how to correct the problem. "I don't even realise I have written an abbreviated word in place of the correct one. I am so used to writing 'to' as '2' or 'you' as 'u', that it doesn't even strike me it is a wrong usage," said Rajat Mehta, a student from a SSC school in Mulund.

However, some schools ensure students are corrected at the right time. "Students use SMS language while writing their assignments or in their class work. But our students are extremely careful; they know this is the most important exam of their life," said Avnita Bir, principal of RN Podar High School, Santa Cruz.

Sleepless over Marathi paper

Priya Ramakrishnan
 
For SSC students, scoring well in languages is no laughing matter. Not only getting good marks in languages is more difficult, students often struggle with the second and third language. This year is no different for those attempting Std X exams on March 5. Adding to their anxiety is the new Marathi syllabus.

“The syllabus was changed in the middle of the year. I don’t have any past question paper to practise on,” said Ravi Bajpai, a student of Rustomjee High School, Dahisar.

According to Marathi teachers, the syllabus was changed because of the difficulty experienced by last year’s students. “It is far easier now. But since the textbooks came out in June, students could not study from the start of the academic year,” said Shubhada Vinekar, principal, Manik Vidya Mandir, Bandra.

Most dreaded centre: Municipal school

With SSC exams about to kick off, parents are on bandobast duty. Jyoti Salunkhe has taken a day off from her work to accompany her son Ashish to check out his exam centre. Even Ashish is more worried about his centre than his performance, as his centre is a municipal school. "I am worried that there will be no fan or toilets. In this scorching heat, any discomfort will affect my performance," said Ashish.

There have been numerous instances where students had to make do with noisy, dingy and dilapidated structures as their centres. Last year, students in a centre at Sion were made to sit on tables meant for kindergarten children. This year too, several HSC students have complained about their centres to the board authorities.

Yogita Rao/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication