Academicians and experts welcomed the move by the School Education Department to introduce board exams for Class XI, stating that this would enable students gain a stronger foundation in the higher secondary curriculum.
“For over a decade now, various organisations have been seeking the introduction of a board examination in Class XIso that both schools and students take the syllabus seriously and learn the basic concepts better. This will ensure private schools do not straight away begin teaching Class XII portions to the students of Class XI in order to produce good results in the public examinations,” said educationalist Kalvimani alias Prof. Kalyani.
Rural students
He said this move would also greatly benefit students in government schools in rural areas. “They are up against students of private schools when it comes to cut-offs. This move will ensure a level playing field,” he added.
The Tamil Nadu Council for Teachers Organisations welcomed the new examination pattern and said writing examinations for 100 marks would be less stressful on the students. “For a paper with higher marks, questions that warranted fewer marks were given more weightage at times. Having to study for a board examination in Class XI also means students will be prepared for competitive examinations,” said S.N. Janardhanan, State joint convenor of the organisation.
The education minister said on Tuesday that if a student fails to clear papers in the Class XI board exams, they can appear in supplementary examinations along with the class XII board exams. “A board examination in Class XI will bring about uniform focus and concentration among students as most of them would find writing supplementary examinations with the Class XII public exams a tough prospect,” he said.
With the presence of two board examinations as well as 10 marks reserved for internal assessment through the academic year, B. Purushothaman, State education advisor, Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary Matriculation Higher Secondary Schools Association, said that schools should begin to take the initiative and focus on helping students cope with the changes and help them tide over the initial stress.
