The Central Board of Secondary Education has declared that no divisions or distinctions will be awarded for the class 10 and 12 board exams.
The CBSE headquarters issued a guideline stating that no overall division, distinction, or aggregate of marks will be given. Furthermore, in the event that a candidate has proposed more than five subjects, the responsibility of selecting the top five subjects may be delegated to the accepting institution or employer.
The declaration explicitly mentions that no overall division or distinction will be granted, in accordance with sub-section 40.1 (iii) of Chapter -7 of the Examination Bye-Laws.
CBSE Aims To Ease Student Stress
The statement clarifies that the Board does not determine or disclose the percentage of marks. This responsibility may be delegated to the accepting institution or employer if it is necessary for higher education or employment purposes.
It is worth noting that last year's choice to not release a merit list or reveal the top performers was unexpected, but it was received positively.
There has been a national discourse over the psychological strain experienced by students, particularly during examinations and when receiving their results. The action taken by CBSE could perhaps mitigate the issue.
The Free Press Journal spoke to several students, school principals, and parents to ascertain their perspectives on this resolution.
Sparked Mixed Reactions From Students
The statement elicited a varied response from students, with some applauding the shift, while others regarded it with suspicion.
Heeti Sampat, a student at Orchid International School in Thane, expressed that the current situation has its advantages as it allows students to prioritise skill development rather than solely chasing after grades.
However, Among Patil from Podar International School, Vasai, expressed a divergent viewpoint, stating, "This outcome was unforeseen. I am concerned about the potential impact it may have on our future applications and assessments. It further exacerbates the uncertainty, considering that studies are already challenging."
Not all parents were enthusiastic about the recent relocation.
Madhavi Oza, a parent of a student attending Orchid International School in Thane, expressed concern that this policy change will pose challenges for students seeking college admissions. We require a clear understanding of the criteria by which our child's success will be assessed moving forward.
Principals Of Schools Voice Concerns Over The Decision
Sunayana Awasthi, Principal of Orchids The International School, Mulund, asserts that it is unwise to eliminate rankings among children. In the absence of a ranking system, pupils will lack the motivation to exert effort and achieve exceptional performance.
Parveen Shaikh, the Principal of The Somaiya School, Vidyavihar, expressed scepticism against the CBSE decision, arguing that it would be unjust to diligent students who exert considerable effort throughout the year to achieve commendable rankings. The underlying concept may be commendable, but in order for it to be equitable, it must be implemented uniformly across all educational boards in India.
Mr. Naman Jain, the Director of Silverline Prestige School, Ghaziabad, expressed his views on this matter, highlighting the significant changes initiated by the CBSE.
He stated, “CBSE has been following this for the past 10 years. CBSE mark sheets don't mention percentages, distinctions, divisions, state toppers, etc. The importance of this reinforcement is because there is a misconception that the coming of CEUT means Board exams of 10th and 12th don't have value."
He further said that CBSE will also come up with credit-based system, where students will have 160 credits from class 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th. "These credits will add up to the child's qualification in universities. CBSE with this circular discredits the system of percentages, divisions and marks, but still upholding the importance of board exams in the credit system”, added Jain.
