Karnataka: Parents, students oppose public exams for Classes V and VIII. Here's why

Education Minister Nagesh had earlier clarified that public exams for Class V and Class VIII students are conducted to improve children's learning capacity
Image for representational purposes only | (Pic: Express)
Image for representational purposes only | (Pic: Express)

Karnataka Education Department's decision to conduct public exams for Classes V and VIII has triggered a fresh controversy in the state.

A section of parents and student organisations have objected to the decision and expressed their fears of the move creating a discriminatory situation for students, as stated in a report by IANS.

Karnataka Pradesha Samanya Naagarikara Dhvani Vedike President S Lakshminarayana stated that this decision was taken at the fag end of the academic year. He further stated that this move is against the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This created panic among crores of parents and students, the decision must be reversed, he demanded.

The Karnataka Education Department is conducting public exams for students who are studying state syllabus. These exams are not conducted for students who are studying in CBSE schools. The exams are also not conducted in schools run by the central government. Parents are claiming that this amounts to discrimination, as per the IANS report.

Notification and its details

The notification for conducting exams was released on December 12. Questions have been raised on how the students can prepare for public exams in two months, as per the IANS report. Lakshminarayana maintained that the Education Minister BC Nagesh had taken the decision only to "show off during the election time." Minister Nagesh had earlier clarified that public exams for Class V and Class VIII students are conducted to improve children's learning capacity.

The order in this regard stated that the decision was being made as it was getting difficult to judge the overall performance under the ongoing system of Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) for students studying in Classes I and IX.

Minister Nagesh stated that it had been observed that children are scared while writing SSLC (Class X) exams as they lack confidence and are not competent. Under the new system, children will write exams like those who appear for exams under CBSE and ICSE syllabus. The officials maintain that the exams for students of Classes V and VIII will be like SSLC Board exams but they will not be as difficult, as per the IANS report.

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