Common examination for classes V and VIII proposed

Test will be for 60 marks; the rest will be based on internal assessment

CHENNAI, 22/01/2019: A student was seen taking classes in a High School at Kodungaiyur, as many government school teachers did not turn up for work owing to the indefinite strike called out by the JACTTO-GEO in Chennai on January 22, 2019. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu

Days after School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan said that discussions would be held on whether or not to have a common examination for Class V and VIII State board students, schools have been asked to gear up to conduct a common examination for these classes at the end of the current academic year.

Education officials at the district level have intimated schools about the common examination, which will be held for 60 marks. Students can take the two-hour exam in their schools. Schools with a class strength lower than 20 students will be assigned a centre in a school close by.

“From what we have been told, the exam will be just like the regular annual exam, with portions mainly from the third term and general questions from the first and second term portions, for 60 marks. The only change is that it will be a common question paper,” said P.K. Ilamaran, President of the Tamil Nadu Teachers Association (TNTA).

The students will have 40 marks allotted for internal assessment comprising tests and project work through the year.

‘Move beneficial’

Welcoming the move, Mr. Ilamaran said that these exams should not stress out students or parents. “It will prepare them better to face common exams and, with better evaluation methods, both teachers and students can benefit from this,” he added.

R. Visalakshi, President of the Tamil Nadu Private Matriculation Schools Association, pointed out that the common exams could be used to see how teaching can be improved across schools and which areas need more effort from schools.

“Unlike the Class X or XII boards, these exams are not going to determine what courses the children have to study or their admissions. The outcome of this can be used to determine areas of improvement and we hope that these exams also broaden their scope and don’t just restrict students to their textbooks,” she explained.

In the Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram educational districts, schools have been sent circulars asking for details to be provided about the students in Classes V and VIII. While information about how these exams will be evaluated has not yet been given, many schools said that they expect the question papers to be sent from the Directorate of Government Examination (DGE).

‘No solution’

Criticising the move, Prince Gajendra Babu, activist, said that a common examination alone will not bring about effective solutions for the range of learning difficulties which students are experiencing.

“We need to evaluate and strengthen classrooms as well as focus on what is needed in the primary schools in the State. There are so many difficulties and yet, the children are blamed for not learning, which is unacceptable,” he said.

The Tamil Nadu Nursery Primary Matriculation Higher Secondary and CBSE Schools Association, in a representation to the School Education Minister, said that holding a compulsory common public exam for Class V and VIII students goes against the Right to Education Act and urged the government to roll back the decision as they felt that students would be put through hardship.

The Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu too, in a representation, said that it would be a burden on students to write five public exams through their schooling.