Patna, Dec. 23: The state education department launched open schooling examination board today to help students facing difficulties in clearing Class X and XII examinations.

Education department principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters: “This system of education is for students who are weak in some subjects as a result of which they are unable to clear the Class X and Class XII examinations at one attempt.”

While releasing the calendar, the officials said the Bihar Board of Open Schooling and Examination (BBOSE) examinations would be held twice a year.

Only students who have cleared the Class VIII examinations and are 14 years old can enrol into the open school.

The open school facility would also enable students, who are overaged and are still in lower classes, to complete their studies at a pace convenient for them. For example, students can clear the Class X examinations six months after their enrolment and again clear the Class XII examinations in another six months.

The degree offered by the open school board would be on a par with those of Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) and other boards.

Outlining the new system, the department principal secretary said: “The students (of the board) will get an opportunity to clear the examinations in nine phases according to their convenience. Apart from general education, the distant and open school education system would also impart commercial and vocational training.”

The board would also provide certificates or diplomas to graduate- and postgraduate-level students. Moreover, under the open school system, students would undergo additional training and have special classes arranged by the board so as to instil confidence in them and ensure they clear their school educations.

Dinesh Singh Bisht, the chief executive officer of BBOSE, said: “The (state) government is working in the direction of setting up a large number of centres through which training and education can be imparted to the students who enrol themselves under the board.”

So far, 625 government primary and middle schools have been selected, which will be developed into training centres.

In Patna, 57 government primary and middle schools have been set up, which would be developed into training centres for open school.

The board has decided to set up 845 teaching centres that would be operational by the end of this year.