Following the cancellation of the Class 12 exams for CBSE students, schools now expect that the evaluation criteria, which will be announced in two weeks, might be similar to the framework announced for the class 10 results earlier this year.
The evaluation criteria for the Class 10 results took into account marks in the tests and exams conducted throughout the academic year as well as 20 marks weightage for internal assessments. The results also had to be in consonance with the school’s performance in the Class 10 board exams during the last few years. Private CBSE schools began online classes at the start of 2020-21 and through the year, conducted assessments online for Class 12 students. These ranged from unit tests and term exams to revision exams ahead of when the boards were originally scheduled to take place. The marks of the practical exams are also there for consideration.
“Whatever exams we used to conduct during a regular school term, we conducted online. We were able to physically administer revision exams when students came back to the campus in January,” said Srinivasa Raghavan, principal, Bala Vidya Mandir.
While schools had been given the flexibility to conduct practical exams any time till the end of the board exam schedule, CBSE schools in Tamil Nadu scheduled and completed the practical exams in March and April.
Ashok Shankar, general secretary, CBSE Schools Management Association, said most schools also conducted multiple rounds of revision exams and pre-board exams.
“The onus will now lie on the schools to comply with the criteria that the CBSE comes up with. With regard to ensuring transparency, the CBSE can recommend that its officials will carry out audits of this process at random, in schools across the State,” he said.
For students, the last academic year itself has been one of many changes. “It has been an extremely uncertain time for students, with not just their boards but entrance exams getting postponed as well. The decision to cancel the boards definitely will relieve them of some stress at the moment,” said C. Satish, a senior academician. He said while all CBSE schools might not have had a uniform assessment system in place, every school managed to have some form of assessment — be it unit tests, hour-long exams or revisions based on their circumstances and convenience.
For students waiting to take up common entrance exams, Mr. Srinivasa Raghavan said some amount of pressure and anxiety remains. “These schedules have been disrupted as well owing to the pandemic and students have been preparing for a while now. They will have to face competition as well as parental pressure to continue preparing at the same pace,” he added.
