NO BOARDS, NO STRESS

For The First Time, Over 5L CBSE Students Will Graduate Without Sitting For Board Exams

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: It will be an altogether novel experience for Class X CBSE students: whether they choose to sit for the board exams or not, the marksheets that will be issued to them will be the same. In other words, they will look identical, and one will be hardpressed to figure out who appeared for the CBSE board exam, and who opted out. The bottom line is that on paper it will make little difference whether or not you decide to appear for the board exams in the coming year. Of the approximately 10 lakh CBSE Class X students, more than 50% (5.5 lakh) have opted to sit out the board exam. The final figure will be available after December 15.

The icing on the cake is that opting out of the exam will in no way hamper a student’s chances of getting into a junior college affiliated to another board. Marks will be announced well before junior colleges open for admission. By making the board exams optional—a first of its kind in the country—CBSE’s aim is to reduce stress levels among students.

“In both cases, 60% of the assessment will be carried out by the school, and will involve a process of continuous and comprehensive evaluation, which will include project work, sports, class participation, etc. The remaining 40% involves a written examination set by the CBSE board. For those who opt for the board exam, the exam papers will be assessed by external examiners. For the rest, the papers will be evaluated by the school,” says Avnita Bir, principal of R N Podar, a CBSE school at Santa Cruz. Around 75% of students at Podar have decided to give the board exams a miss this year.

Schools have been flooded with queries from parents who want to know whether there will be any difference in the way an answer paper will be evaluated if a child decides not to appear for the board exams. Principals insist that there will be no bias in either event. “Not only will the CBSE board set the question papers, both for those who do appear for the board exam and those who don’t, but the board will also send schools a marking scheme that needs to be followed,’’ said Rajeev Gupta, principal of DAV School, Airoli. An answer paper will be re-assessed by a second examiner who will check for errors and biases. Students have till December 15 to finalize their decision.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
Are you a confused Class X CBSE student biting your nails over whether to sit for the CBSE board exam or opt out of it? Well, it doesn’t matter either way. If you decide not to appear for the board exam, it will not affect your college or career prospects.

Here’s why:

If you opt out of the CBSE Class X board exam, will the marksheet reflect your choice?

A: No. The internal school assessment marksheet will be identical to that issued to a student who sat for the board exam

If you opt out of the CBSE board exam, will you get your results at the same time as someone who sits for it?

A: Yes

Who will assess the exam papers?
For those who appear for the board exam, 60% of the assessment will be done by the school and 40% by external examiners
For those who opt out of the board exam, the entire assessment will be undertaken by the school

Who sets the exam papers?
The board will set the papers for both students who appear for the board exams as well as those who don’t. In both cases, this will account for 40% of the total assessment

If you choose to not sit for the board exam, will the marksheet that you receive be adequate while applying to another board?
Yes. You can apply to a junior college in Mumbai on the basis of your marks even if you do not sit for the board exam

If you are a Class X student at a particular CBSE school, are you guaranteed a seat in Class XI in the same school?
Yes (irrespective of whether or not you appear for the board exam)

Are all CBSE schools in the country giving students the option of dropping the Class X board exam?
Only CBSE schools that run till Class XII are giving students the option of dropping out of the board exam

When is the last day to finalize your decision?
December 15, 2010

Too good to be true?
Mumbai: Across the city, Class X students are rolling their sleeves and burying themselves under a mountain of books in preparation for their first ever board exam. But 15-year-old Aakash Sharma is the epitome of calm. “I am studying just as hard as the other students. The only difference is that a board examination is not hanging over my head,” says the CBSE student who M T E E H S K R A has opted for a school assessment examination over the board examination. Sharma even finds the time to attend guitar classes. Nearly 5.5 lakh CBSE students in India have decided not to sit for the board exam in Class X.

“Students who have opted for an internal school assessment will be appearing for a paper set by the board, but will answer the questions in a familiar environment,” says Deepshika Srivatav, principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya in Andheri (W). At her school, nearly 40% Class X students will be sitting for the school-assessed examination. An equal number of CBSE students have chosen to give the board exams as they feel it will prepare them for the Standard XII finals.

Jyotsna Wankhade whose son will be appearing for the board exam says: “In Mumbai, there are many issues and prejudices when it comes to students from other boards. We don’t want to give the government another reason to not accept our son’s application.”