The school and Board-conducted Class X examinations are still on and choosing a stream is adding to the anxiety of high schools students. Will a proficiency test help solve the dilemma of students and help them know where they stand when compared to their peers as projected by the Board?
Not all schools think that the CBSE-conducted Proficiency Test can help. The Board has asked schools to send a list of candidates who would be taking the proficiency test for class X, but some institutions wonder if students need one more exam.
There are no takers at Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Taylors Road, as the majority of the students think that they would have already made their choice of stream by the time the exam is conducted. The test, introduced by the CBSE last year, is scheduled to be held in July and is optional for students. April 14 is the last day for schools to make online submissions.
Some school heads say that while students were quite excited last year, the first time the test was held, they are unsure this time. “Do we need more one more exam? Let students take class XI and XII seriously…that's enough,” says a school head.
The proficiency test measures an individual's abilities and skills in a domain or subject to know how well he/she has learned, understood and internalised related concepts and principles. It is also said to be an important platform for parents to see which stream their child/ward would be better off in, rather than putting undue pressure on them.
“In the absence of a Board-based exam, it is essential to know the proficiency of a student and such an exam tests the aptitude of an individual at the national level, which is certainly helpful,” says S.S. Nathan, CEO of Bala Vidya Mandir Group of School, which also holds an internal proficiency test that is mandatory for all class X students. This time, more students are expected to take the proficiency test. Mr. Nathan says based on the score of students they can also “upgrade to another stream”.
Of the 100-odd students in class X, Sivaswami Kalalaya Senior Secondary School, at least 60 per cent are likely to sign up for the test. Te school is also planning to hold an orientation programme fr parents of students who might take the test, Parents such as Saradha A., whose daughter studies in class X at Kola Saraswathi Vaishnav Senior Secondary School, feel when the Board conducts such an exam it offers more exposure, even if there are many other national-evel competitive exams. “Any exam is helpful and should only boost the confidence of my daughter,” she says.
