BENGALURU: To improve the performance of SSLC students and to achieve 100% results in the upcoming Class 10 exams conducted by the Karnataka State Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB), the education department for the first time has prepared a blueprint of best practices for teachers and Class 10 students.

KSEAB had recently come under severe criticism for decreasing the qualifying marks from 35% to 25% and was seen as a move to increase the pass percentage from last year’s 73.4.

Explaining how the blueprint helps teachers and students, Shashikumar, a teacher from a government high school in Tumakuru district, said, “Every year, this blueprint was shared only with the teachers who would set the question papers for the final exams. This year, however, it has been given to SSLC students and teachers.

It consists of model question papers which are already available on the DSERT website. It also explains which chapters should be given more or less weightage while preparing for the exams. This helps, especially average and below-average students, to focus on particular chapters instead of studying all the chapters.”

He said, “Since teachers in all schools across the state have completed the syllabus, they are using the blueprint to conduct revision classes, focusing on chapters that are shown as important. This year, we can expect better results from individual students as well as good pass percentage overall because of the preparation level among students.”

In the meantime, the department of school education and literacy officials, including Secretary Rashmi Mahesh and Commissioner Vikas Kishore have been visiting teachers and SSLC students personally across the state to assess the level of learning.

Shivakumar M, a mathematics teacher from a government high school in Sidlaghatta, said, “We were asked to maintain a tracker for individual students and we have done that. Based on this, we are helping them revise and improve their scores.”

Three rounds of preparatory exams

The department is conducting three rounds of preparatory exams instead of one that was held last year to help students. “It will help students prepare mentally for the final exam as the model of question papers in preparatory is the same as final exams,” government teachers said.

This story is reported by Rashmi Patil of The New Indian Express.