50% more students to review answer scripts this year

50% more students to review answer scripts this year

After Poor Scores Under New Question Format

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:26.07.2020

Following poor scores in Class XII state board exams, science stream students are eager to see their evaluated answer scripts this year. Schools say the number of applications seeking copy of answer scripts will increase up to 50% this year. Already, many schools in the city witnessed more applications compared to the previous year.

The number of students scoring above 570 out of 600 in Class XII science stream has come down drastically this year following the revised syllabus and new question paper pattern for higher secondary. Many students are eager to see their evaluated answer scripts before applying for revaluation.

Hazel Shirley Sharon J, a student from Chennai, said she had applied for copies of her Chemistry and English answer sheets. She scored 87 and 88 in the two subjects respectively. "I feel I got four to five marks less in every subject. In maths, I expected 97, but got only 93. In Chemistry and English, my marks went below 90. I am confident I would get above 90 in these two subjects," she said.

Another student Hananiah Shadrach has applied for a copy of Physics and Chemistry answer scripts. “I was expecting a centum in physics, but got 91 marks. In Chemistry, I was expecting 98 but scored 89. So, I wanted to see how the answer sheets were evaluated,” he said.

He further said students have scored very low marks in English and language papers and many may apply for answer sheets in these subjects as well.

M D Purushothoman, a postgraduate maths teacher from a city school, said scoring high marks is difficult in the new question paper pattern. “Students earlier used to get marks for steps even if the final answer was wrong in the 10 marks section, but the present question paper pattern do not have descriptive questions. Around 30% of the questions are application oriented, which makes scoring very difficult,” he said.

City schools said many science group students have sought copy of answer scripts on the first two days. “More students want to apply for Physics and Mathematics this year. In general, students who have scored 10 to 15 less than what they had expected in Physics want to apply for revaluation. So, they are seeking the copy of answer sheets before applying for revaluation,” said R Rajkumar, headmaster, DRBCCC Higher Secondary School in Perambur.

He said the number of students seeking copy of their answer sheets has increased by 15% compared to the previous year. “Science stream students are applying for answer sheets copy in large numbers. Students feel they deserve better in key subjects like Physics and Chemistry. So far, 50% more students have applied compared to the previous year. It will increase further in the coming days," said N Vijayan, senior principal, Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tamabaram.

Most students feel they were deprived of five to 10 marks in key subjects. “The number of students applying for answer sheets almost doubled in our school,” said B Purushothaman, senior principal of Everwin Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Kolathur.

Some schools say they have received requests for answer sheets for the first time.

“Usually, our students don’t ask for revaluation. But, this year, more students are coming forward and seeking answer scripts in Maths and Physics,” said V Shanthi, headmistress of Vidyodaya Girls Higher Secondary School in T Nagar.

Sources in the school education department said on the first day more than 10,000 applications for copy of answer sheets have been received.