Delhi schools say CBSE formula to assess Class XII students is balanced, students relieved

Schools and students in Delhi welcomed the class XII result tabulation policy submitted by the CBSE in the Supreme Court on Thursday, with educators saying that it is fair and students relieved to have a resolution.

According to the 30-30-40 formula given by the central board, the theory marks of each subject will be computed using 40% from the marks they got in the subject pre-boards or mid-term exams held by their schools earlier this year, 30% from their Class XI final exam marks, and 30% from their Class X board exam results. This will be added to the actual marks that they got in their Class XII internal assessments and practicals for that subject.

According to Sunila Athley, principal Amity International School, Vasundhara Sector 6, the system the board has formulated is holistic and has checks and balances built into it.

“This system is looking at the progression of children over three years and has balanced assessment by both internal and external bodies. The internal assessment and practical marks we have with us are validated by the CBSE and external examiners, class X exams have been conducted by an objective external body. Every school has to have a result committee with two external teachers, so there are checks and balances in place for the internal processes. It is objective and transparent. In this pandemic situation, I think it’s the best policy there can be at this point of time. It reflects a child’s effort in the last three years and I don’t think any child will be placed at a disadvantage. And for those unhappy with their marks in a particular subject, they have the option of writing a pen and paper exam later,” she said.

In fact, Rajpal Singh, principal RPVV Surajmal Vihar, said the moment should be used to adapt this system beyond a one-time measure.

“My point of view is that not just during the pandemic, but even in regular years, the final-year results should give weightage to classes X, XI and XII, even if the ratio of weightage can be debated. This is supposed to be a certificate of completion of school and it’s inauthentic to base it on one set of three hour-long papers… I know that students might be concerned about not having performed their best in the tests and exams being taken into account but they shouldn’t worry. The moderation system will help address this concern, and the best three subjects results are being taken for class X,” he said.

For Ojasvi Jain, a student of Mount Abu Public School, the road to this point has been a difficult and he said that this a system he has to accept.

“Initially I was in favour of conducting board exams because I had worked so hard and was confident of doing well. But after that, the Covid situation got really bad and my parents, grandparents, and uncle all fell ill and I had to look after everyone. I couldn’t study for two months because of this and there was no way I would have been able to make up for it… Not all my internal exams went as well as I would have liked but the formula should work fine, we all have to accept it,” he said. He wants to study B.Com Programme at Delhi University.

Sumirna Kaul, a student of Amity International, Vasundhara, wants to study Psychology (Honours) at Delhi University, a programme which usually has some of the highest cut-offs. “I’m just placing my faith in the system. Since all of us are in it together, the system can’t be partial to anyone in this situation. The situation of the last year has not been an ideal one and we’ll have to adjust to this,” she said.

Principal Athley points out that the CBSE results have concrete consequences only for a section of students. “The admission of half the students depends on entrance exams – JEE, NEET, law entrances and so on. So we’re left only with students going on for undergraduate studies in universities depending on cut-offs,” she said.

Because of this, students like Varsha Aggarwal, a student of Government Sarvodaya Co-Ed Vidyalaya, Sector 8 Rohini, are not too worried.

“All my exams this year didn’t go that well, but I’m okay with that. I’m determined to crack NEET so that’s what’s important to me. If I don’t qualify this year, I will take a gap of a year and try again,” she said.