CBSE’s assessment scheme for nixed exams causes worry
Many students are worried that the assessment scheme would affect their higher education plans, especially in the engineering and graduation streams.
Representative ImageKOCHI: Even as schools have welcomed the
Central Board of Secondary Education’s decision to cancel the remaining Class X and XII board examinations in the wake of the pandemic, students and parents have raised concerns about the assessment scheme for subjects whose exams were cancelled announced by the board.
As per the scheme, in Kerala, where four out of the five exams were conducted, assessment is to be based on the average marks obtained in the best three out of four exams students appeared for.
Many students are worried that the assessment scheme would affect their higher education plans, especially in the engineering and graduation streams. They say the subjects whose exams were cancelled, such as computer science (CS), informatics practices (IP), business studies, Malayalam, etc, are traditionally high-scoring (offering relatively easier opportunities for at least 95% marks). And if the average marks of the remaining three subjects, which are not so free scoring, are considered, the final tally could be much lower (even below 85%) than what they could have bagged if exams were conducted.
Students are worried that this could affect their final percentage in Class XII and result in giving an upper hand to students following the state syllabus, who completed all exams, in entrance exams for which 50% weighting is given to Class XII results. Moreover, students will find it difficult to apply for courses and exams that have Class XII marks as a criterion.
“Many parents, mostly whose children are eying a career in engineering, have approached us expressing concern. The board’s decision on assessment is the most viable one as in 99% of schools in Kerala only one exam is pending. Moreover, waiting for the pandemic to be in control to conduct the exam is least practical. But subjects like CS, IP and Malayalam, comparatively easier ones, are chosen by students to compensate for the loss of marks in other core subjects like chemistry, physics and mathematics. So there is a chance for many high-scoring students to get lower total marks than they expected. And they fear that it might add to the upper hand enjoyed by state-syllabus students’ who already have more liberal marking than CBSE,” said the principal of a school in Kochi.
Meanwhile, teachers said that students who chose biotechnology, another subject whose exam was cancelled, might get higher marks than expected through the assessment scheme. “Biotechnology is opted for by students hoping to pursue a career in medicine but it is usually tougher than other subjects in the combination. So the average marks of the best three subjects could be higher than what a student could have bagged in the exam,” a teacher said.
As per the scheme, in Kerala, where four out of the five exams were conducted, assessment is to be based on the average marks obtained in the best three out of four exams students appeared for.
Many students are worried that the assessment scheme would affect their higher education plans, especially in the engineering and graduation streams. They say the subjects whose exams were cancelled, such as computer science (CS), informatics practices (IP), business studies, Malayalam, etc, are traditionally high-scoring (offering relatively easier opportunities for at least 95% marks). And if the average marks of the remaining three subjects, which are not so free scoring, are considered, the final tally could be much lower (even below 85%) than what they could have bagged if exams were conducted.
Students are worried that this could affect their final percentage in Class XII and result in giving an upper hand to students following the state syllabus, who completed all exams, in entrance exams for which 50% weighting is given to Class XII results. Moreover, students will find it difficult to apply for courses and exams that have Class XII marks as a criterion.
“Many parents, mostly whose children are eying a career in engineering, have approached us expressing concern. The board’s decision on assessment is the most viable one as in 99% of schools in Kerala only one exam is pending. Moreover, waiting for the pandemic to be in control to conduct the exam is least practical. But subjects like CS, IP and Malayalam, comparatively easier ones, are chosen by students to compensate for the loss of marks in other core subjects like chemistry, physics and mathematics. So there is a chance for many high-scoring students to get lower total marks than they expected. And they fear that it might add to the upper hand enjoyed by state-syllabus students’ who already have more liberal marking than CBSE,” said the principal of a school in Kochi.
Meanwhile, teachers said that students who chose biotechnology, another subject whose exam was cancelled, might get higher marks than expected through the assessment scheme. “Biotechnology is opted for by students hoping to pursue a career in medicine but it is usually tougher than other subjects in the combination. So the average marks of the best three subjects could be higher than what a student could have bagged in the exam,” a teacher said.
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