HSC: Rising negligence, incompetence on English among students

I have been working as an examiner for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) English examinations under an education board for a long time. While I will not disclose the board's name, my recent experience on evaluating answer scripts has become a reason of deep concern. Discussions with my fellow examiners have revealed the same scenario: the answer scripts of most students are disappointing, and the decline in educational standards has reached an alarming level.

In most cases, the first thing that catches the eye is meaningless and incoherent writing. There is a complete lack of proper sentence structure and basic grammar. Errors are rampant in basic topics like Subject-Verb Agreement, Tense, Preposition, and even Part of Speech. Spelling mistakes are so frequent they make an examiner's head spin. Sometimes it feels as if the students have never attended a college or bought a book because they simply do not know how to answer the questions. They cannot even write a single complete sentence correctly. They have no concept of the basic rules for writing emails, letters, applications, or paragraphs. Sometimes, an entire bundle of 50 answer scripts shows this kind of disappointing performance. It seems that students view English not as a subject to understand but merely as something trivial or easy to memorise before the exam, a subject that does not require planned or structured study.

A lack of preparation is also a major factor. Many students do not finish their textbooks, let alone practice with model tests or writing exercises. They come to the exam hall and are seemingly introduced to the questions for the first time. It is astonishing that some even copy the entire question paper verbatim into their answer script, thinking they will get at least some marks.

Handwriting is another significant problem. The writing is so illegible and unclear that examiners have to guess what is written. They have absolutely no practice in maintaining legible handwriting. This makes a fair evaluation difficult. The most frightening aspect is the students’ mind set. They believe that they will get marks for simply writing something, anything, in the answer script. They do not feel the need to understand the topic or give a correct answer. Consequently, they fill their answer scripts with irrelevant stories, jumbled sentences, or any memorised part they can recall. This mentality is growing day by day.

The results are, therefore, terrible. Many students are scoring less than 10 per cent in the English exam. What was once an exception has now become the common scenario? Fellow examiners unanimously agree that this trend is expanding rapidly.

There are several reasons for this. First, a weak foundation at the primary and secondary levels, where English is taught through exam-based memorisation; second student indifference and the misuse of technology; and third, negligence from family and society.

A dangerous new culture has also emerged among a group of indifferent students who attend college not for studying, but for hanging out and wasting time. They often create chaos in the classroom and ruin the learning environment. Even after failing in their test exams or before filling out the final exam forms, they pressure college authorities to let them take the final exam. The authorities, under various circumstances, eventually give in to their demands. As a result, the institution's overall results are at risk of being destroyed.

This picture is not just limited to one board; it is a serious warning for the entire education system. If conscious and effective initiatives are not taken now, a large portion of the next generation will fall significantly behind in international communication, higher education, and workplace competition. English is not just a subject; it is a key to unlocking the doors of global knowledge. The ability to read, write, and speak English is almost indispensable for securing good positions in the country's domestic job market. It is extremely difficult to survive in multinational corporations, foreign investment firms, and even in freelancing and online marketplaces without English proficiency. Furthermore, English skills are considered an undeniable qualification for pursuing higher education, scholarships, research, or professional opportunities abroad.

Unfortunately, a more or less similar situation can be seen in other subjects as well. In Mathematics, Science, and even our mother tongue, Bengali, many students are falling behind due to a lack of basic knowledge and proper preparation. While there are some students who study diligently and achieve good results, their numbers are decreasing day by day. A vast number of students are completely indifferent to the importance of a solid education. They do not understand that without a strong academic foundation, they will be severely disadvantaged in future career and life competitions.

Shubhashis Das is a English lecturer at Government Iqbal Memorial College, Feni.