The introduction of the Class XI public exam in Tamil Nadu, initially aimed at ensuring private schools adhere to the syllabus, has sparked debate over its impact on students. Despite a high overall pass percentage, the number of failures has surged post-pandemic, with 2022 seeing a record 83,819 failures. Critics argue the exam adds undue stress and detracts from time needed for competitive exam preparation like NEET.
Educationist Aruna Rathnam contends the exam was introduced more to regulate private schools than to benefit students. Proposals to mitigate its impact include integrating a portion of Class XI marks into the Class XII results and redesigning the exam to resemble a common test.