With the Class X and Class XII Board examinations results out, many students are now banking on revaluation, recounting and re-examination marks. An increasing number of students are availing themselves of these post-examination assessment procedures.
According to the Directorate of Government Examinations, around 65,000 photocopies of answer scripts of the Class XII examination were sought in the State. Last year, it was 43,000. Applying for the photocopy of a particular subject is the first step for a student opting for revaluation or re-totalling. Three teachers scrutinise the answer script for revaluation, in comparison to initial evaluation which is done by one examiner. “Generally, around 10,000 students would apply for revaluation, while 1,000 for recounting,” says a senior official of the Directorate.
CBSE, on the other hand, only allows verification of marks and last year around 4,000 students applied from the Chennai region. The numbers every year are more or less steady, say CBSE regional officers.
In today's competitive world where every mark counts, teachers and parents encourage students to apply for the process if they are confident. In Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, a student can also take re-examination and decide which marks should be accounted.
Vasundhra (name changed) is happy with her total 1,148 in Class XII examination, yet she is applying for revaluation, hoping to see her score increase by three marks.
“Every marks counts. In Chemistry, I scored 195 when I was expecting 198. An increase of three marks would mean I get a seat in a medical college in or around the city,” she says.
Teachers who are called in for the revaluation process say a majority of answer scripts they come across are of students who have scored above 90 per cent in a particular subject. But, not all revaluation papers should see an increase in marks.
K. Selvam, physics teacher with SBOA Matriculation Higher Secondary School, recalls how a student who had secured 133/150 in Physics saw the marks drop to 87.
“Some years ago, improvement examination was abolished in Tamil Nadu after students got undue advantage. The system where a student first gets a photocopy of his/her answer script is good, provided the student gets a couple of teachers to run through the paper and decide accordingly,” says Mr. Selvam.
Teachers say students should apply for revaluation only if they are confident that they have performed well. Some even say it is worth applying only if the difference in margin is above 10 marks.
An ideal examination system should not give any choice for revaluation or recounting, says Eugenie Pinto, retired college principal. “But human error is possible when there are several lakh students appearing for an examination. It is possible for a good student to score low marks,” says Ms. Pinto.
She says there is greater awareness for reassessment of answer scripts even at degree level as students have become more conscious for the hard work they put.
