CBSE Class 10 Board exam likely to become ‘mandatory’ again

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) class 10 board examinations could soon be reintroduced, reverting to a system that was in place till six years ago. Board exams for class 10 were scrapped in 2010 to reduce academic pressure on students.

The Class 10 board examinations were eliminated from the academic system six years ago and was replaced by the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE). The CCE system provides a less stressful method of tests and grading to reduce exam & academic pressure.

A meeting was called on Tuesday, attended by state education ministers decided that the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry will bring an amendment to the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The amendment will allow states to conduct exams in elementary schools, and issue an executive order bringing back CBSE Class 10 board examinations.

While the CBSE Class X board exam is set to return in 2018, exams in elementary schools may be held from the academic year starting in 2017. Both moves will impact nearly 200 million students.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters after the meeting of the Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE), comprising state education ministers and independent experts,  that the quality of education and learning outcomes in schools were deteriorating

The middle path was arrived at after six states backed the no-detention policy, saying that it has helped arrest the dropout rate in schools. Under the current provision, no child can be detained till Class 8.

“Those states that are against the policy are free to bring in exams at the Class V and Class VIII level after the RTE Act amendment. Those in support can continue to keep the no-detention policy as it is,” the minister said.

On the Class X board exam, he said all state boards are already holding exams and only CBSE has kept it optional. CBSE, which functions under the HRD ministry, will do whatever is required and give students at least a year’s time to prepare for the exam. “We will not hurry the decision; 2018 academic year is what we should target,” Javadekar said.

Though Javadekar did not spell out the details of the board exam, as per feedback shared by the CBSE with the HRD ministry and reviewed by Mint, the final marks or grades in the board exam are expected to carry 80% weightage, with classroom assessments under the continuous comprehensive evaluation system, in place for the past six years, making up the rest.

The Class X board exam was made optional by the CBSE during 2009-10 when the United Progressive Alliance was in power. The ministry will also specify learning outcomes for students from Class I onwards under the RTE Act.