Dubai, August 26: It will no longer be a constant competition for marks for children studying at Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools with the authorities decision to display grades on student’s report cards from next year.
The CBSE has planned to scrap the marks system of assessment and replace it the internationally followed ‘grading’ system till class X from 2010. Students will fall into grade categories with ‘ A’ denoting the highest and ‘E’ denoting the lowest grade.
“The ministry opines there is too much emphasis on scoring high percentage in exams. As per the proposed system, though students will be evaluated through marks, the result will be in grade system. The students getting 90 per cent and 92 per cent should be in the same grade because there is hardly any difference between them,” a CBSE official told the media on Monday.
CBSE had been meaning to introduce the grading system since 2005 and most schools affiliated to it in the UAE follow the system up to grade 6.
“Grading is definitely a better system to assess students. A child who earns 95 marks in a certain subject is equally good as a child who gets 97 marks in the same subject. The difference of two marks is based on variables like the judgement of the examiner or the question paper he/she got. It does not determine if a child is first or second,” said Ashok Kumar, Principal and CEO of the Indian High School in Dubai. Kumar who recently submitted his recommendations for CBSE exams said that schools will be implementing the grade system from next year though schools are still waiting for an official notice.
CBSE chief Vineet Joshi said students getting above 90 per cent will be given A+ Grade, while students getting above 80 per cent will be accorded A grade. The last grade will be E, which will be less than 30 marks.
“The system and the range of marks for grades are being fine tuned and we will finalise it soon. The grades will be accorded based on absolute marks,” he said. If unwell, students will also have the option of taking an exam later. Students will have to pass in at least four out of five subjects.
Parent, Sujata Natarajan who’s daughter is in the Indian High School said the grading system will be a pleasant change. “Children should develop a love for studies and by worrying about a mark or two they are taking life too seriously . Marks only matter when you need to enrol for university . The emphasis should be on overall personality development and a child’s potential should not be dependant on a few marks,” she said.
Prachi Choudhary believes grading will make her student life easier. “There will not be any more tough competition and we can write our exams with ease without worrying so much,” she said.
Reshma Menon, however, disagrees and prefers marks to grades. “I’d still like seeing 75 marks rather than a C grade. Also, to me a difference of a few marks count and with grades I won’t know where I stand,” she said.
Mother of Anushka of the Delhi Private School in Sharjah, Vaishali Barodekar said marks are more reliable and can be validated.
“You need marks to define where a child stands. There’s so much competition that it is necessary. It also puts the child in the habit of achieving,” she said.
CBSE is also working towards making the Class X board examinations optional for students. Though grading based on internal assessment will be introduced, students will have the option of writing a board examination as well.
“I think schools should be given the choice of opting for the board examination in X and not the students. If students have the option then some will opt for it and some won’t and there will be no uniformity,” said Ashok Kumar.
–Agencies