Unlike last year, when the Central Board of Examination (CBSE) Class X and Class XII students had to endure several anxious moments on account of uncertainties related to the holding of board examinations, things look promising this year. CBSE has introduced a two-semester system that will see students writing examinations designed in a multiple choice question (MCQ) format for at least one semester.
The Secretary-General for the National Council of CBSE Schools. Indira Rajan, said, "As of now, the Term I examination has been confirmed to be in the MCQ pattern." She added that in the case of Term II, the board is yet to take a decision on whether the exam would be held in the MCQ format or if it will be a set of subjective questions.
For the two terms, the mark distribution would be a 40:40:20 pattern. One exam in both the terms would be for 40 plus 10 (where the 10 marks will be awarded internally). "The entire examination system has been developed after much research and bearing in mind the interests of students," Rajan said.
This pattern will ensure that students do not get a raw deal, Rajan added. The Term I exams will be held in November-December, while the Term II exams will be conducted in March-April 2022, she said.
For smooth and fair conduct of exams, the CBSE teachers have been trained under the new evaluation system. There is an added benefit for students taking the MCQ examination, Rajan added. "They will be exposed to how questions are set in various entrance examinations," she said.
According to her, this is a unique initiative being undertaken by the board for the first time. The examinations would be of 90-minute duration. While scores for the Term-1 exam would be published soon after, the final result would only be declared after the Term-II exam. "Right now, students are being provided ample training in the new format through model tests," Rajan said.
Language issues
"There had been some confusion over certain language subjects being considered minor ones," Rajan said. When it comes to language subjects specific to a state, CBSE considers them as 'minor subjects'. The CBSE official was most probably referring to Punjab Education Minister Pragat Singh's remarks wherein he said that the decision by the CBSE to include all the regional languages as 'minor subjects', was a conspiracy to wean students away from their mother tongue.
