Amid criticism, TN Education dept to go ahead with common tests for Class 5,8  

Despite educationists and activists constantly criticising the state's decision to conduct board exams for Class 5,8 students, the Education department has decided to go ahead with it. The Primary School Education Department issued a circular on Wednesday to all Chief Education Officers across the state regarding the exam. 

The circular states that common test will be based on formative assessment and summative assessment. The CEO has been instructed to set up examination centres and arrange supervision work. "Centre should be a one-kilometre distance from the respective schools for Class 5 students and below three kilometres for Class 8 students. Exam time table and question paper will be set up by the government examination wing," the circular read. 

The formative test will be allotted 40 marks and the remaining 60 will be allotted for the summative assessment. "Class 5 will get questions on basic concepts, content and practices, learning outcomes from Tamil, English and Maths. Under THE summative assessment test, Class 8 children will get questions from basic concepts, content and practises, learning outcomes from all subjects including language, English, Maths, Science and Social Science," the circular stated. 

The Department also informed through its circular that mark details will be entered under the students' profiles in the Educational Management Information System web portal.