The examination and evaluation pattern of secondary and senior secondary stages of CBSE in our country have been undergoing rapid changes after a minimum interval of three to four years. It is apparently on trial and error basis and in which the ultimate sufferer are the students and parents.
A few years before Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) was introduced and implemented by the CBSE for a holistic assessment of a learner, but from the current academic year this structure has been changed and uniformity in examination system has been given priority by deleting school based examination for Class X and restoring board based examination for all. It might be to maintain quality in school education standard.
With the broader aim of examination reforms in mind, the CBSE, the CABE and the AICTE have also brought changes (though it is not time tested) in JE main and advance examinations from the current session which need to be introspected rationally to uphold better quality in the field of technical education of our country. In the current academic session, minimum 75 per cent marks in class XII Board Examination has been suggested to become eligible to admit into the premier institutions but the prime importance is given only in entrance score for ranking etc, which seems to be somehow impractical to determine the exact talent of the candidate for ranking of such an important examination like JEE Main and Advance.
There is every possibility for the dilution in the standard of evaluation and ranking. If this pattern continues, certainly students will give more focus towards coaching institutions and their study materials. Students will pay more time for problem solving rather than to study text books. Coming to school will be simply optional as a lot of private organizations are already following this practice throughout our country. Crisis will be more acute if this type of examination scenario of evaluation pattern and its ranking continues.
The Board Examination (Class XII) and its evaluation process somehow judges the thinking capability, creativity and writing ability of the students, but on the contrary, the question in entrance examination which is solely based on multiple choice and its darkening, for quick computerized evaluation, should not be the only “yard stick” to haunt the talents and ranking. It is expected that the students will be emotionally and intellectually uplifted and would get concept-oriented practical teaching in schools but the present pattern has emphasized to devote more time to coaching centers discarding all human values.
Now, the parents are in dilemma, where to enroll their wardIJ Is it in a traditional school or in a renowned coaching institute at a place like Kota in which a seat in JEE main or advance is guaranteed. This is a big challenge to the CBSE, the AICTE and the Government of our country when the HRD Ministry is intended to incentivize research, innovation and quality learning.
Under what circumstances a genuine talent can be identifiedIJ Should we give exclusive weightage only to the day of entrance examination - three to six hours’ duration or thorough two-year regular study in a good school environmentIJ Weightage in Board Exam in ranking can’t be ignored under any circumstances. This strategy may prevent commercialisation of education.
(Dr Ray is a Senior Post Graduate Teacher, DM School, Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Bhubaneswar-751 022, E-mail: rdrayfreelancer@gmail.com)