Jun 02 2017 : The Times of India (Chennai)
Moderation? CBSE awards up to 11extra marks in a
subject
Manash Gohain
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New Delhi:
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Board Also Raised Grace Limit To 10
Ordered by the court to restore moderation of marks in Class XII this year, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) seems to have gone way beyond reasonable limits of the policy while awarding marks.Up to 11 extra marks were given in accountancy , 10 in mathematics and eight each in physics and chemistry, documents accessed by TOI reveal.
This is apart from set-wi se moderated marks awarded due to difference in difficulty levels and other discrepancies. The spiking, evidently done in anticipation of other boards doing the same, is bound to reopen the moderation debate.
One expert called it “not moderation, but competitive inflation“ of marks. Others said spiking of marks was putting an otherwise progressive policy (moderation) under a cloud, with all boards getting into competitive mode. CBSE also gave up to 10 marks as grace for candidates who failed to get qualifying marks.
TOI accessed documents on CBSE's moderation process this year for the all India sets of question papers for 18 subjects of Class XII. In addition, there were set specific extra marks given to the same question paper(s).For example, while physics has been awarded eight marks as moderation, for `set 2' and `set 3', an additional one each has been awarded.
Speaking to TOI, former CBSE chairman Ashok K Ganguly said that such variability in mean marks amongst different sets of question papers should not have arisen in the first place.“These cannot be moderation of marks if the process has been done properly . Earlier, moderation of one to three marks used to be adequate,“ he said.
Stating that moderation is a necessity for a national board such as CBSE, Ganguly said it should be done judiciously .“State boards should not be moderating at all,“ he added.
CBSE had stated it would not moderate marks this year. However, on May 22, 2017, the Delhi high court overturned the decision. Following the court's order, CBSE continued with its “moderation policy“ and the Class XII results were notified on May 28, 2017. The board's grace marks policy (for those candidates failing in a subject) too was `liberalised' this year. As per CBSE documents with TOI, atotal of 10 marks were awarded to candidates as grace. According to a former controller of examination, “grace marks used to be three or maximum four till around 2009“.
In the wake of this year's moderated marks, a former CBSE chairperson has called for reviving the Council of Boards of School Education in India (COBSE), a voluntary association of all the school boards.
This is apart from set-wi se moderated marks awarded due to difference in difficulty levels and other discrepancies. The spiking, evidently done in anticipation of other boards doing the same, is bound to reopen the moderation debate.
One expert called it “not moderation, but competitive inflation“ of marks. Others said spiking of marks was putting an otherwise progressive policy (moderation) under a cloud, with all boards getting into competitive mode. CBSE also gave up to 10 marks as grace for candidates who failed to get qualifying marks.
TOI accessed documents on CBSE's moderation process this year for the all India sets of question papers for 18 subjects of Class XII. In addition, there were set specific extra marks given to the same question paper(s).For example, while physics has been awarded eight marks as moderation, for `set 2' and `set 3', an additional one each has been awarded.
Speaking to TOI, former CBSE chairman Ashok K Ganguly said that such variability in mean marks amongst different sets of question papers should not have arisen in the first place.“These cannot be moderation of marks if the process has been done properly . Earlier, moderation of one to three marks used to be adequate,“ he said.
Stating that moderation is a necessity for a national board such as CBSE, Ganguly said it should be done judiciously .“State boards should not be moderating at all,“ he added.
CBSE had stated it would not moderate marks this year. However, on May 22, 2017, the Delhi high court overturned the decision. Following the court's order, CBSE continued with its “moderation policy“ and the Class XII results were notified on May 28, 2017. The board's grace marks policy (for those candidates failing in a subject) too was `liberalised' this year. As per CBSE documents with TOI, atotal of 10 marks were awarded to candidates as grace. According to a former controller of examination, “grace marks used to be three or maximum four till around 2009“.
In the wake of this year's moderated marks, a former CBSE chairperson has called for reviving the Council of Boards of School Education in India (COBSE), a voluntary association of all the school boards.
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