In a rush of 100 day achievement, our Union Home Minister, Kapil Sibal had mooted his team to come out with some revolutionary measures. The result is, abolishing the Board Exams for X standard for CBSE schools.
At the outset, the exams are not abolished but made optional. There will be exams and there are changes in the exams. I welcome this change. At the least, someone had initiated the long pending changes. Changes brings with it challenges and challenges forces one to make attempts and I am hopeful of something good churning out of this exercise.
Before making a comment on the proposed changes that will effect from 2011, I would like to brief the limitations in the present system and the proposed changes in the new system.
The limitations in the present examination system are:
Students are evaluated on the basis of marks and not by their ability: It is a better known fact students’ intelligence levels are decided by their memory power and not by the knowledge they had gained. It is not a surprise that our students thoroughly lack application once they are through with their degrees or diplomas. These certificates are mere tickets for job as far as India is concerned.
Limited evaluation techniques in the present system: the present question bank system is here for years and students have mastered the art of answering them from scoring point of view. They simply go through the question banks only and not learning their lessons. It is very true in case of the entrance exams for IIT where students literally ignore their 12th syllabus and prepare themselves for the IIT entrance through the tutorials and gain seat. Another problem with this system is students are not reading anything beyond the syllabus.
Education is to inspire, to make experiments and to encourage students questioning. Nothing of these three happens with the present system.
Stress / Peer pressure / frustration / humiliation: The pass / fail factor decides the students future. Time is precious. What is the point in deciding a student fail at the end of the year rather than noticing this at the earlier stage and worked upon. Why the monitoring is not done on day-to-day basis. With the world environment becoming highly competitive peer pressure is here to stay. The problem with the present system, it does not teach the students on how to handle the pressure. The stigma attached to a failed candidate and the treatments to such students are the mistakes of the society and not the system per se.
Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation:
v The newly proposed system is christened as Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation.
v It is classified as Scholastic and Co-scholastic.
v While the Scholastic deal with the academics, Co-scholastic will deal with Art, fine-arts, physical education, life-skills, health, etc.,
v The assessments are classified as Formative Assessments and Summative Assessments.
v Formative Assessment is done at school level by the teachers concerned on a day-to-day basis continuously, monitoring and to work upon the deterioration found, if any.
v Summative Assessments are done on a periodical basis similar to the present day exams. However, the pattern of the exam is also being revised and reviewed.
v While the Formative Assessments contribute to 40% the rest is done by Summative Assessment.
v No marks will be given but only grades. However, grades are defined by marks scored.
v Instead of ranks given, ranking will be given on percentile basis. For example if a student has scored 78 marks in Science and 22 students have scored less than him, then the percentile will be marks scored x (No. of students scored less than him / total no of students)
v The Board exams for X standard is optional. However, students who would like to continue their XI in the same school need not appear for Board exams. If they wished to change the school, they need to appear for Board exam.
v Even for appearing the Board exam, one has to undergo Formative and Summative Assessments.
v CBSE is exploring the possibility of conducting the board exams online.
v The questions for the exams will be supplied by the central board from the question bank it has generated.
On the whole the CCE would focus on the broad based education of the students and with the behavioral pattern of the students.
It is too early to make a comment on the proposed CCE and it is all in paper. Only in the second semester of this year for 9th standard students, this is being put in practice. The CBSE board is burning the midnight oil in conducting the training programs for the teachers all over India in explaining the new system, make them understand and prepare the teachers to evaluate the students. This is a Himalayan task and CBSE had taken it.
There are challenges ahead in implementing this new system.
v How the evaluation of teacher in the urban and the rural areas would remain same?
v If Board exams for 10th are abolished because of “Stress Factor” why have it for 12th std?
v In the name of broad based education, would a fish be asked to run on land? Would not it be ideal to identify the skills of the student and focus on the subject?
v Would there be reservations too?
v If the teachers of the same school will be evaluating, what is the scope to eliminate the bias-factor?
This system is similar to the system in USA. How far this would suit our conditions and our people is to be waited and seen. Yet, I welcome this change for that this has initiated something towards the better. Change is permanent and change for better is termed as development. It’s high time our education standards had developed.
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