Children have moved on, scrap the re-examinations: Shashi Tharoor

CBSE Std XII kids must not be made to go through the ordeal of appearing for a re-exam, feels Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor. As the former Union minister of state for HRD, Tharoor was involved in addressing issues related to CBSE and affiliated schools. Though Tharoor is known more for using English words that make even scholars run for the dictionary, he minces no words about his views on CBSE in this special interview...
There is a feeling among school authorities and parents that CBSE, since the introduction of continuous and comprehensive evaluation scheme (CCE) in 2009-10, has brought in too many changes, too soon.

Not sure I agree with this. Globally, educational systems are changing and India should not remain impervious to pedagogical transformations elsewhere.

Was CCE a bad idea? Or was it simply a case of our education system not being ready to accept it? Why do you think it failed to catch on with the government ultimately scrapping the entire thing six years after its introduction?

CCE was a good idea in principle, but difficult to implement in Indian schools where 45-50 students per classroom is the norm. No teacher can reasonably be expected to give each student the kind of personal attention that a comprehensive individual evaluation requires. It became an onerous burden on teachers, and CCEs were worse than the old exam system, which at least ensured a level playing field .

Can school education be a one-sizefit-all scheme?

It isn't, nor should it ever be.

Has CBSE lost the plot? Has its image taken a serious beating since the last seven years?

The media is a better judge of image than I am. Certainly until the current exam-leak disaster, CBSE’s reputation was riding high and, more and more schools were applying to join the CBSE system. However, the recent mishandling of this year's exams will certainly be a setback.

What does the CBSE need to do now to put things back on track for itself ?

First, scrap the re-examinations, which have proved to be a huge source of stress, especially for the Std XII kids who have already moved on to study for other entrance examinations in their states, JEE etc, or enrolled in CA or similar courses. Second, fix the problem at all levels — from the top, where accountability must start, to whichever level the leak occurred. Third, devise new systems to ensure that such leaks never happen in future. Credibility is lost very quickly and regained very slowly. But signs of determination at the top will be well received, because an effective, honest and fair examination system is the only guarantee of meritocracy in our country and it's something the nation has placed its faith in all these years.