MP, 1 Apr 2025, Kolkata: In a significant move, the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has decided to offer students failing to qualify in this year’s Higher Secondary (HS) examinations, or those who did not clear the selection test, the option to transition into the newly-introduced semester system for Class XII.
The 2025 HS exams marked the final year of the annual system. Starting from the 2024-2025 academic session, a semester-based system has been introduced for Class XI. The first batch under this system will take their HS exams in the 2025-2026 academic year.
The third semester (the first semester of Class XII) is scheduled for September 2025, and the fourth semester (the second semester of Class XII) for March 2026. Additionally, unsuccessful candidates of the final annual HS exam or the selection test will be able to transition directly to Class XII under the semester system without having to repeat Class XI.
WBCHSE president Chiranjib Bhattacharya said: “Students who fail this year’s HS exams or have already failed the selection test can migrate to the semester system. They will appear for the third semester in September 2025 and the fourth semester in March 2026. However, they must attend regular classes at school.”
As per the examination regulations of the annual system, students who fail can reappear for the HS exams under two categories. First are the continuing candidates, who were regular candidates but either did not appear or failed in more than two compulsory subjects.
Second are the special candidates, who appeared in a maximum of two compulsory subjects or failed in a maximum of two compulsory subjects. Bhattacharya clarified that such students can now either reappear as continuing or special candidates under the annual system or transition to the semester system as regular students.
Some have expressed concerns about how students accustomed to an annual system will adjust to the semester format. Addressing this, Bhattacharya said: “The semester system is student-friendly. With yea
r-round classes, we do not foresee any major difficulties.” The final HS exams under the annual system were conducted from March 3 to 18, with 5.09 lakh students registering. Results are expected by mid-May.
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/unsuccessful-hs-examinees-can-switch-to-semester-sys-604635
