SC accepts CBSE’s 30:30:40 formula for Class XII, results before July 31

SC accepts CBSE’s 30:30:40 formula for Class XII, results before July 31

Performance Of Past 6 Years For CISCE Evaluation

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:18.06.2021

The Supreme Court on Thursday ended the suspense for more than 15 lakh Class XII students over marking for the cancelled board exams by approving an evaluation formula framed by the CBSE and CISCE which factors in the Class X board result, Class XI score and Class XII’s unit, midterm and pre-board outcomes.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) gave details of the evaluation policy formulated after consulting experts to a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari and said Class XII results would be out before July 31. While 14.5 lakh Class XII students appear for the CBSE board, nearly 1 lakh take the exams conducted by CISCE.

The SC bench noted its inprinciple acceptance of the scheme after every petitioner conveyed that they had no grievance against the evaluation mechanism. Attorney general K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, and solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBSE, told the court that the academic performance of each student in Classes X (best three) and XI as well as the marks or grades obtained in unit and term examinations in Class XII and practicals would be taken in a graded weightage — 30% each for Class X and XI, and 40% for Class XII.

TOI report on June 16

Talks on common test for central univs next week

The Union education ministry and UGC are going to revive the discussion on the Central University Common Entrance Test next week. While central universities are keeping their options open for conducting the 2021-22 admissions, Rajeev Gupta, DU’s dean of admissions, said, “The assessment policy will not affect our admissions.” He, however, wasn’t sure of CUCET. Once cleared, CUCET ill be conducted by the National Testing Agency, reports Manash Gohain. As for the feasibility of conducting the test this year, an official said, “It will take at least two months to prepare.”P11

Entire mechanism appears to favour consistent performers

Keeping in mind the disruptions in Class XII assessments due to Covid-19, schools have been given leeway in deciding whether to take all assessments (unit tests, mid-terms, pre-boards) or just the pre-boards into account or a combination. This would be done by a “results committee” in every school.

Senior advocate Janakalyan Das informed the bench that the CISCE will consider the performance of students in the past six years in awarding marks and grades for Class XII. The entire mechanism appears to favour consistent performers rather than those who display a surprise sparkle in the board exams though the policy attempts to provide avenues for students who changed boards or are taking them for the first time. The boards explained that just taking into account Class12 results may not reflect the potential of students taking online exams in an unfamiliar setting. So, using the Class 10 board results was useful as it was the only public exam the current Class 12 students had taken. The Class11 exams were held in pre-Covid times and on the basis of the prescribed senior secondary syllabus. The SC bench noted its in-principle acceptance of the scheme after every petitioner conveyed that they had no grievance against the evaluation mechanism. The bench warded off senior advocate Vikas Singh’s plea for conducting a physical board examination for Class 12 students and asked the two boards to finalise the scheme and notify it after incorporating a grievance redressal mechanism for students after declaration of results.Venugopal informed the court that the CBSE has made a provision for holding physical examination for those students who want to improve their marks later when the situation normalises and that such scores would be final for those who decide to take the option. He said the dates for the physical examination would be announced after the declaration of results, subject to the prevailing pandemic situation.

Full report on www.toi.in

FAIR POINT: The boards explained that just taking into account Class XII results may not reflect the potential of students taking online exams

SC to examine whether to allow Punjab, Assam, AP & Tripura to hold Class XII boards

The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to examine whether four states — Punjab, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura — be permitted to hold Class XII state board examinations when 18 of the 28 states have decided to cancel physical examinations this year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. A bench asked petitioners’ counsel S P Adgaonkar to serve copies of the petitions on the standing counsel of the four states which have not cancelled the Class XII board examinations. The counsel informed the court that six other states had already conducted board examinations. The SC posted the matter for hearing on June 21.