Maharashtra Board Adds Caste Category to Class 10 and 12 Exam Hall Tickets, Sparks Controversy
Pune, 18th January 2025: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has introduced a new feature on the hall tickets for the February-March 2025 Class 10 and 12 board exams, mentioning students’ caste categories. This decision has sparked controversy and raised questions among education experts and teachers.
Sharad Gosavi, Chairperson of State Board, clarified that the mention is not of the specific caste but of the category (OBC, ST, SC) to which the student belongs. He explained that this addition aims to facilitate various scholarships offered by the Social Justice Department and to avoid future complications in students’ educational journey.
However, social activist and education expert Heramb Kulkarni strongly criticized the move, calling it “incorrect.” He questioned the necessity of mentioning caste categories on temporary documents like hall tickets, especially when school certificates already contain this information.
Kulkarni expressed concern about the potential societal impact of such decisions, particularly given the current sensitive climate surrounding caste issues in Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, the board announced that Class 10 students will receive their hall tickets from February 20, 2025. Schools can download these hall tickets from the official website www.mahahsscboard.in using the provided link. The board exams for both Class 10 and 12 are scheduled to take place in February-March 2025, with the exact dates yet to be announced.
