With a pass percentage of 99.62, the Chennai region, which includes Tamil Nadu, was placed second in the country after the Trivandrum region in the Class X CBSE examinations, whose results were announced on Saturday.
This is the last batch of students to be given a choice between board examination and a school-conducted final examination. It was introduced in 2009 with the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation(CCE).
Henceforth, board examinations are compulsory for all students.
Apart from Tamil Nadu, the Chennai region includes Puducherry, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu.
“Very few students took up the school-based examination this year. A lot of us preferred to take up the board conducted examination as it would give us exposure and ensure that we are better prepared to face the boards in Class XII,” said B. Avantika from Chennai, who scored a 10/10 CGPA.
Better patronage
Ever since students were given an option between the board examinations and the school examinations, more students have been opting for the board exam. In 2016, a total of 6,227 students in Tamil Nadu took up the school-conducted exam while 32,324 students took up the board examination.
While students at present have a CGPA system in place, they will be awarded marks and grades based on the remodelled assessment structure from 2017-18, which will have the students write a compulsory board examination for 80 marks.
The other 20 marks will be from internal assessment components such as periodic tests, notebook submissions and subject enrichment activities. With schools in the city having begun the term for Class X students from March, students said they were getting ready to adapt to the new model.
“We are a bit apprehensive about being given both marks and grades in the final mark sheet and are working hard towards doing well. Apart from the board exams, we have been briefed by our teachers about the internal assessment components that we will be put through all year,” said K. Janani, a Class X student.
Classes VI-IX
With the CBSE doing away with the CCE system, a uniform system of assessment, examination and report cards have also been introduced for Classes VI to IX.
“The students of Class IX will have an assessment structure which will follow the model established for Class X and students will also be given a similar report card,” said Ajeeth Prasath Jain, senior principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram.
