Guwahati, April 17: The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (Seba), has set up an open school to help dropouts and unsuccessful candidates clear their matriculation (Class X) examination.

Class IX dropouts can continue their studies at the open school, which will also help weaker students who haven't been able to clear the exams in the regular system.

"The open school will function in a very flexible manner and allow students to take the matric examination for any number of subjects according to their convenience. Examinations will be held within a gap of six to eight months in a year. If a student feels that he cannot clear all the subjects at one go, he or she can attempt to pass all the subjects several times. There will be no age bar to appear in matric (exams) through the open school," Seba chairman Dhandev Mahanta told The Telegraph today.

Even senior citizens can sit for their matric exams through the open school, which is temporarily functioning from the Seba headquarters at Bamunimaidam here.

Eventually, Seba-accredited branches of the open school will be opened in districts with high dropout rates.

If the response from these districts is positive, then branches will be opened in every district.

Admissions to the open school are expected to begin after the matric examinations results of the state are declared in the later half of next month.

"Over 40 per cent students cannot clear the matric examinations every year. The state witnesses massive celebrations for those who pass with flying colours in the exam. Seba has felt strongly that it is high time to think and take remedial measures for those who cannot pass the most important test of their school life," Mahanta said.

He said the open school would have a "scientific and practical" syllabus - prepared in such a way that poor meritorious students can continue their studies while simultaneously working at jobs.

Mahanta said many girls, particularly in rural and remote areas, are unable to complete their matric exams under the regular education system because of early marriages.

The open school will provide a ray of hope for these girls and enable them to continue their education.

Way back in 2011, the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council had established the Assam State Open School in collaboration with the National Institute of Open Schooling, under the Union human resource development ministry, so that everyone could have the opportunity to study up to Class XII.

The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council's open school was a huge success and sources in Dispur had asked Seba to follow suit.

The plan for the new open school was chalked out three to four years ago but things really started moving in 2015.

The open school was finally set up just a few days before the Assembly election dates were announced last month.

A Seba official said there was another reason to set up the open school.

"Passing the matric exam is a very important goal for a large chunk of youths in rural areas of Assam as it is the way to get a job and also to get a good bride/groom. So the matric (exams) have psychological and social implications. So the open school will bring hope and cheer to those who cannot clear the examination under the regular system of education," the official said.