As the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is expected to release a schedule soon for the term 1 examination to be held in November, schools are preparing students for the new test format.
Earlier this year, the CBSE announced that instead of the examinations to be held at the end of the academic year, Class X and XII students would take up two term examinations in different formats. The term 1 examination will have a paper with multiple choice questions. It will have a duration of 90 minutes. The final results will be based on the term 1 and 2 examinations.
“The new pattern has meant that there has been a paradigm shift in how we prepare our students to take the board examinations. Multiple choice questions require a thorough understanding of the concepts, are very precise, and competitive,” said Ashok Shankar, secretary, CBSE Schools Management Association.
He said schools had striven to ensure access for students to resources such as model question papers, worksheets and practice tests. Teachers were administering practice tests and spending more time with students to facilitate a good grasp of the concepts.
“Rote learning will not help students in this pattern of paper, and they need to know concepts well. Earlier, students used to be awarded marks even if they wrote down the formula and attempted a question. For the new format, better preparation is needed since they can get a mark if the right option is selected,” said K. Lakshmi, a chemistry teacher.
Students are aware of the importance of a thorough understanding of the concepts; they have been asking their teachers to explain and revise concepts, she said.
Juwariya Nilofur, who teaches economics and business studies for Class XII, said chapter-wise training tests were being conducted to orient students towards the new format. “The sample papers released by the CBSE helped us a lot...”
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay in the reopening of schools, the CBSE announced earlier this year that the syllabus would be rationalised.
“With students taking up the term 1 examination covering 50% of their syllabus which has been rationalised and has no negative marking, we believe students can do well in this format with good training from teachers,” said C. Satish, director-general, ABS Group of Schools.
He said schools would soon start the practical examinations ahead of the term 1 examination.
