"Failure in the SLC exams prevented me from realizing my dreams. All my future plans fell apart suddenly after I was forced to settle down," she said bitterly.Similar is the plight of Parvati Hamal of Budari-based Rampur Higher Secondary School.
"Just days before the announcement of the SLC results last year, I had told my father that I wanted to pursue technical education. But they married me off against my will after I failed in the exams," she said.
Most of students from the district who fail in the SLC exams do not continue further studies. "If girls fail the exams, they would be forced to marry and settle down. If boys fail, they would be sent to India to do menial work," said Tek Bahadur Singh, superintendent at the exam center at Sujanga Higher Secondary School.
According to him, students who fail SLC hardly get any opportunities to continue regular studies, leading them to give up education entirely.
There are many students who are appearing in this year's SLC exams under the exempted category.
Many expressed hopelessness after failing SLC exams at the first attempt.
"We have to face lots of hardships just because we failed in the SLC exams. While my friends are making progress in life, I'm forced to look after my children and households activities," said Gita Fulari of Saraswati Higher Secondary School.
Students in the exempted category are further disappointed by the new letter grading system. "Initially I was happy about the new grading system. However, it really disappointed me to learn that the new grading system won't be applied to examinees under exempted category," said Arjun Joshi of Bhuwaneshwor High School. "Students in regular and exempted category write the same exams. Why is the rule different for us?"
Related story
75,000 students sit for supplementary SLC exams
