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Education
Bihar Board to Replace ‘Fail’ with ‘Eligible for Skills’ on Marksheets
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 29 Aug 2026, 11:33 AM
👁 15
The Bihar School Examination Board will label students who do not meet passing criteria as ‘eligible for skills’ instead of ‘fail’ to safeguard their confidence.
The Bihar School Examination Board announced that future marksheets will no longer carry the word “fail.” Instead, students who fall short of the passing mark will be marked as “eligible for skills,” a terminology shift aimed at protecting their morale.
Board officials explained that the new label is intended to reduce the stigma associated with academic failure and to encourage students to pursue vocational and skill‑based training pathways. By framing the outcome as eligibility for skill development, the board hopes to keep students motivated and focused on alternative career options.
The decision, reported by The Times of India, reflects a broader emphasis on skill acquisition in the state’s education policy, aligning assessment outcomes with the government’s push for greater employability among youth.
Board officials explained that the new label is intended to reduce the stigma associated with academic failure and to encourage students to pursue vocational and skill‑based training pathways. By framing the outcome as eligibility for skill development, the board hopes to keep students motivated and focused on alternative career options.
The decision, reported by The Times of India, reflects a broader emphasis on skill acquisition in the state’s education policy, aligning assessment outcomes with the government’s push for greater employability among youth.