Posted by Ninad on September 14, 2009 under All Posts | 
After I wrote the BLOG last week on the issue of optional exams for CBSE students, I have been discussing this with many friends.
One of my friends from Delhi had an interesting comment to make. He said that this concept was good in theory, but how will it really pan out in the real world? Will the student be at the mercy of the teacher? How will the student know that the grades are objective? Will it increase his servility to the teacher? Isn’t he entitled to take a test and compete equally with his peers?
This got me thinking…
As a society, we have been obsessed with exam percentages. This has happened due to the problem of sheer numbers. On the one hand, there is an acute shortage of good higher educational institutions driving up a huge demand for limited seats and concomitantly, higher percentages for entry. On the other, the number of students is so large that an examination system seemed to be the only clean, objective method of measurement — a standardized test of a child’s intelligence.
Another dimension is the impact across various strata of society. Is cut-throat competition for getting that extra mark a middle-class phenomenon? Do they see exam results and the ensuing entry into the best institutions for higher learning as the panacea towards upward mobility in society? The answer to both the questions is “Yes”.
Then, how do you convince these folks that they need not worry about exams? Will they feel that the concept of “no exams” is non-practical? And, will it blunt a child’s competitive spirit?
So, what are the challenges of the new system of grading?
- Re-orientation of teachers and parents. Both will need to adapt to the new system of learning and grading. The vicious circle of the need for high marks and exams will have to be broken with an attitudinal change.
- Uniform applicability across all schools. While some CBSE schools may adapt to this, others may not. Government schools, in particular, are struggling with far more pressing issues of salary payments, infrastructure etc. Shouldn’t they focus on these issues, rather than grapple with a new grading system?
- Preventing nepotism: This problem may happen in the implementation of the grading system. Parents will really have no option but to accept the teacher’s diktat. A proper redressal method should be evolved at the school level.
The grading system for CBSE will have many teething problems. However, if it is executed carefully by schools, it can really make a big difference in the alleviation of academic pressure on students.
I will end my BLOG post with a quote by William B. Yeats “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire”.
Hopefully, the grading system will end up “lighting the fire” in a CBSE student!
Posted by Ninad on September 8, 2009 under All Posts |
Most of us have grown up in India in the traditional format of mugging up at the end of the term and appearing for an examination where you have to spew out all that you have studied through the year.
This will soon change for CBSE students.
The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) approved a decision on 31st August, 2009 to implement CCE (Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation). In simple words, it means that exams will become optional for Class X CBSE students from academic year 2010-11 onwards.
CABE is the apex education advisory body consisting of all state education ministers, independent educationists and key central ministers. In their meeting, Mr. Kapil Sibal, Education Minister, managed to get a broad consensus on education reforms, including making exams optional.
Under the CCE system, students will be evaluated throughout the academic year, consisting of two terms and there will be a formative assessment and summative assessment.
Formative assessment will include continuous assessment throughout the year. It will evaluate class work, homework, assignment and project work. There will be two evaluations in each term and each evaluation will carry 10 marks.
Summative assessment will require students to appear for exams at the end of each term. The first term exam will carry 20 marks and the second term exam will carry 40 marks. Students of class IX and X will be evaluated on a nine point grading system. Each grade will correspond to a range of marks:
Grade Marks
A1 95 and above
A2 90 to 94
A3 85 to 89
B1 80 to 84
B2 70 to 79
C1 60 to 69
C2 50 to 59
C3 33 to 49
D Less than 33
Students will also get grades for their co-scholastic and learning skills.
The option of grading in Class X instead of Board exams will be available only to students who will continue in the same school in Class XI.
So, does this move of optional exams for Class X students of CBSE augur well for the education system in India?
Yes, it does.
There is serious need for reform in the Indian education system. Giving flexibility to students to appear for exams is really a great first step.
The need to reduce exam related stress on students has been a long-standing demand of many educationists. In fact, a method of continuous assessment is far superior to a year-end examination.
Acceptance of this reform by CABE and all State education ministers is a big victory for Kapil Sibal. Making exams optional for Class X students of CBSE was stated by Kapil Sibal in his 100 day plan when he took over as the Union Education Minister. One of the big challenges that schools will face is the transition from a year end exam to a continuous assessment. With the large number of students in the school system, a year-end exam does have a fair bit of objectivity. A system of continuous assessment through the year does have the vulnerability of being subjective.
Whilst Kapil Sibal may have pulled off a coup of sorts by getting consensus on making exams optional for CBSE students of Class X, will other Boards follow suit?
