Schools believe that the Indian School Certificate (ISC) and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) boards are becoming more student-friendly.

D. Chirstopher Thambidorai, an ISC coordinator of Bishop Cottons Boys’ School, said: “The council has given us the freedom to choose subjects. This allows the entire board to perform better.” He added that significant changes in the question papers over the last five years and the introduction of more electives this academic year have helped students.

Susan Roy Thomas, principal of St. Paul’s English High School, further substantiated this claim. She said the reason for better performance was owing to the fact that the paper was challenging for the above average students, while remaining equalised for the slow-learners.

“Apart from high scores by students, the board is becoming more student-friendly,” said Meenakshi Myer, principal, Inventure Academy, citing the introduction of the compartmental examination system wherein a student can retake a subject if he or she meets the basic criteria of passing other subjects. Students with difficulty in writing can use laptops and are allowed more time to complete the exam. They are also allowed to not study a language, she said.