The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that it will conduct board exams for class 10 and class 12 students twice a year from the academic session of 2024-25. This is a major reform in the examination system that aims to reduce the stress and anxiety of students and provide them with multiple opportunities to improve their performance.
Why CBSE is introducing multiple board exams?
The decision to introduce multiple board exams is based on the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends a shift from high-stakes, one-time exams to low-stakes, modular exams. The NEP also suggests that students should be assessed on their conceptual understanding, skills and competencies rather than rote memorization.
According to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the new format of board exams will give students more flexibility and choice in their learning journey. He said that this will be effective from the present class 9 and 11 students who will appear for the board exams in 2025.
How will CBSE conduct multiple board exams?
The CBSE will conduct two sets of board exams for class 10 and class 12 students in each academic year. The first set of exams will be held in November-December 2024, while the second set will be held in February-March 2025. The exams will cover the same syllabus and curriculum, but the difficulty level and question pattern may vary.
The students will have the option to appear for either one or both sets of exams, depending on their preparedness and satisfaction with their scores. The best score out of the two sets will be considered for the final result and merit list. The CBSE will also provide an option for improvement exam for those students who are not satisfied with their best score.
What are the benefits of multiple board exams?
The multiple board exams are expected to bring several benefits for the students, teachers, parents and the education system as a whole. Some of the benefits are:
- Reduced stress and pressure on students who fear missing out on a single opportunity
- Increased confidence and motivation among students who can improve their performance in the second attempt
- Enhanced learning outcomes and skill development among students who can focus on conceptual understanding rather than rote learning
- Improved quality of teaching and assessment as teachers will have to undergo certified courses before developing and evaluating board papers
- Greater alignment with the global standards and practices of education as many countries have adopted similar models of assessment