Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) students cannot change subjects or courses they choose in Class XI mid-session, says a new directive.

The circular was issued in May but parents and students got to know about it only now, as most schools were closed for summer vacation.

"According to the new rules, no student can change stream or subjects mid-session from this academic year. The CBSE even conducted post-examination counselling for students. This year, an esteemed panel of psychologists guided the students, leaving minimum scope for them to seek a change of subjects mid-stream. The circular reflected on the CBSE's official site in May," Arvind Kumar, assistant secretary of CBSE's regional office (Bihar and Jharkhand), said.

Before the new directive came into effect, students could alter their stream in the middle of Class XI and alter optional and additional subjects at the beginning of Class XII.

Students and guardians came to know about the new norm when school authorities rejected appeals for subject alteration. Many students are feeling disappointed.

Shrinkhala, a Class XII student of Loyola High School, said: "I had taken mathematics as optional paper in Class XI. But now I think that it hard to pursue. I had applied to change the subject to computer, but it got rejected. My percentage had dipped in Class XI. If I cannot change the subject, my performance might be affected in Class XII, too. I am good in computer science, and I know I can score well in this paper."

Dipti Kedia of St Dominic Savio High School had in April applied for changing her additional subject from music to physical education. The school accepted her request and she even attended lectures in the physical education class. After studying it for around two months, she has now got to know she cannot change the subject. "I am facing double trouble. I do not know what was taught in music class all this while, and, I wasted two valuable months studying physical education but CBSE will not allow me to write the exam in it," she said.

Hemant Sinha, a concerned parent, said: "My daughter is unable to cope with the optional and additional papers. Her percentage goes down because of these two subjects. If my child does not like a subject, she will either find it difficult to focus or simply ignore it."

This year, new Class XI students underwent counselling by skilled teachers and psychologists to select the streams and optional papers.

"Permission for different streams depends strongly on the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Each and every student, who passed out of Class X, was requested to go through all guidelines issued by CBSE regarding Class XI before taking up any stream, as there will be no alteration of streams or subjects from this year," said Peter Arockiasamy, the principal of St Michael's High School.