Karnataka: Pupils upbeat as assessments begin for classes 5 and 8

HUBBALLI: Students of grades five and eight at state board schools took the common assessment examinations in their stride on Monday, the first day of the exams, when around 98% of the enrolled students in the district took their language tests.
On Day 1, there was no dearth of enthusiasm among the students, who were initially faced with some uncertainty as the decision to conduct common assessments was mired in a legal battle.
Following a directive from the high court, the state education department is finally going ahead with these exams.
Subramaniya Poojar, a class eight student at Rajiv Gandhi School, Dharwad, and Anuradha T, from Guledkoppa Government School, said the examinations will help them know the areas where they are lagging and take necessary remedial measures.
Both said the questions were easy, adding that these tests had taken the element of fear out of tests, thereby making them more confident to face their SSLC board examinations. A total of 19,07,091 students across the state are appearing for these tests. In view of the loss of learning ability among children due to Covid-19, the education department decided to conduct common assessment exams, following the launch of 'Kalika Chetarike' for the same purpose.
Rekha Bhajantri, the English subject inspector and nodal officer, told TOI that assessment examinations do not entail detention of any student, as all of them will be promoted. She added that the objective of these assessments is to ascertain learning deficiencies and eliminate them in the next academic year.