The government will reintroduce the Class X board examination for the Central Board of Secondary Education that was scrapped back in 2010 in a bid to push students to perform better and satisfy parents. The reintroduction of the tenth boards will reportedly be announced by HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on October 25, following an official meeting regarding the matter.
Officials from the Ministry of HRD commented: “There have been representations from academicians as well as organisations of parents saying that scrapping the exam and with the no-detention policy being in place, the academic standards are being affected.Also, it is being observed that students are unable to take the pressure of appearing directly for Class XII boards which are an important deciding factor for the career they choose.”
Since 2010, the Class X board examinations were replaced by a continuous mode of evaluation, whichassessed students based on their regular performance in class tests. The aim of this system which is currently in practice is to reduce the level of pressure on the students and reduce the level of discouragement faced by them. However, reports indicate that concerned teachers and parents from all over the country have pointed out a drop in the standard of education across schools.
Additionally, schools were affected by a large number of failures in higher classes as evaluations became more and more difficult for them to meet. The reintroduction of the Class X board examination is also being seen as a crucial step towards preparing students for the final Class XII examinations. Though it is not clear which year the government will see as an appropriate time to reintroduce the tenth board appraisals, 2018 is being considered as a possibility.
Along with the said reintroduction, changes will also be made to the existing no-detention policy for students. Whereas the existing policy automatically promotes students to the next class upto Class X, the newly proposed amendments will introduce a new system which will result in an automatic promotion only untilClass V, after which states will have the freedom to devise their own evaluation processes till Class VIII. However, a retest will be made mandatory for those who fail up to the eighth standard. According to reports, a total removal of the no-detention policy has also been ruled for by some.
