Telangana Education Commission wants separate Class X and inter exams scrapped

The Telangana Education Commission has recommended scrapping separate examinations conducted by the Telangana Open School Society and asking its students to appear for regular SSC and Intermediate exams, raising concerns over the impact on thousands of school and college dropouts.

Hyderabad: In a move that could affect thousands of students, particularly school and college dropouts in the State, the Telangana Education Commission (TEC) has recommended scrapping the separate Class X and Intermediate examinations for students enrolled under the Telangana Open School Society (TOSS).

The Commission has suggested that students admitted to open schools should appear for the same annual examinations conducted by the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education and the Directorate of Government Examinations, which conducts the SSC Public Examinations.

---

These recommendations were recently included by the TEC in its report titled ‘Education Policy for Telangana 2026’, submitted to the State government.

The open school system in Telangana has long served as a lifeline for individuals who discontinued their education due to financial hardship, family responsibilities or other issues.

For decades, this system has provided flexible learning opportunities without strict age limits, attendance requirements or heavy financial burdens. Several homemakers, farmers, workers and even juvenile offenders have been able to resume their education through this platform.

To enrol for Class X, learners must possess basic reading and writing skills. This allows them to bypass several years of conventional schooling. As many as 27,249 candidates enrolled for Class X in 2024–25, while 38,341 learners took Intermediate admission in the same academic year.

While the recommendation appears to aim at standardising examinations, questions are being raised about whether such a move is practically feasible.

If open school examinations are scrapped, students who join the system after dropping out of school or college will be forced to compete with regular students. They will also have to study regular textbooks that are taught over about 230 academic days, while open school students currently have only 30 to 40 contact classes.

“Open school students have an entirely different curriculum and textbooks. Moreover, the examination pattern in the open school system is different from that of the regular system. Such a move is impractical. Even if it is implemented, it will be detrimental to the entire open school system as well as to school and intermediate dropouts,” said a senior Education department official.

Every academic year, a large number of candidates enrol under TOSS. As many as 27,249 candidates enrolled for Class X in 2024–25, while 38,341 learners took Intermediate admission in the same academic year.