Cuttack, Nov. 24: The state government has set up the State Institute of Open School where school dropouts can complete their matriculation.

The Board of Secondary Education will conduct examination for school dropouts for the first time in April.

Official sources said the dropouts, or others who could not complete their formal secondary schooling, could enrol themselves under the open school. Age is not a bar.

The move is likely to provide a crucial role in bringing out-of-school children within the formal education system as official statistics reveal that 23 per cent students in the age group of 15 to 16 years in the state are school dropouts.

"Age is not a bar for those interested to appear the matriculation. The only criteria fixed by the government is that the applicant should have completed his or her seventh standard," said board president D.P. Nanda.

The examination will be conducted twice every year starting from next year. Already 3,200 youths have enrolled themselves for the first examination.

Nanda said there would be a credit option, where any student who is unable to qualify in a subject, could re-appear for only that subject instead of taking the entire examination all over again.

It is for the first time that the government is providing a scope to dropouts, especially those who have completed their Class VII in the state.

A record 6.01 lakh students have enrolled for the 2016 annual matriculation examination to be conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha, starting from February 22 next year. This is more than 8,000 above the 5.93 lakh students who took the test this year.

"Due to the online form fill-up system that was introduced last year, more students have enrolled for the matriculation examination," said Nanda.