Pens-only and extra blank circle: CBSE’s plan for Boards in Nov

Pens-only and extra blank circle: CBSE’s plan for Boards in Nov

Datesheet, Detailed Guidelines For Term-1 MCQ Exams Next Week

Manash.Gohain @timesgroup.com

New Delhi:08.10.2021

Candidates appearing for the MCQ-type Term 1 CBSE Board Exams this November will be allowed to use only pens to mark answers. The OMR answer sheets will, however, have an additional blank space/circle for the students to use if they decide to change their response to a question.

“If four options to answer a particular question are provided, there will also be an additional blank space. If the students, during revising or for any other reason, realise that they have marked the wrong choice, they can strike it off, darken the correct circle and write the same (like1, 2, 3 or 4 or a, b, c or d) in the additional blank space. A combination of intelligent character recognition (ICR) and optical mark recognition (OMR) techniques will be used to evaluate such responses,” CBSE controller of examinations Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj told exclusively to TOI.

He also said the practical exams will be conducted by own schools of the candidates.

He said, “Marks scored in the practical exams have always been questioned and very often we have seen significant variations in marks obtained by the same student in theroretical and practical exams. CBSE wants the school to be responsible and assess students on actual performance. The Term 1 practicals are to be conducted by schools themselves. Based on the present Covid situation and the vaccination drive underway, we are expecting that Term 2 practicals would be conducted by the CBSE”.

With around 40 days for the exams to begin, schools and candidates are eagerly waiting for the schedule and guidelines of the exams. To that, Bhardwaj said, “CBSE will issue the instructions after it finalises the complete scheme (of the exam) and we will apprise all the stakeholders with all aspects of the exam.”

TOI has learnt that students can expect the announcement of exam dates and guidelines in another four to five days once the Board gets the complete list of candidates (the last date is October 9, 2021).

The CBSE has split the board exams into two parts — Term 1 and Term 2. A candidate’s final score will be calculated on the basis of his/her performance in both Terms. As per the new scheme, Term 1 will be a 90-minute objectivetype exams, while Term 2 will be a 120-minute subjective tests. Both will have practicals.

On the marking system, Bhardwaj said each question will carry equal marks and candidates will get options as well.

IN FOR A REVAMPED SYSTEM