New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday accepted the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) formula for the assessment of Class 12 students.
The CBSE, in an affidavit, informed a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar and comprising Justice Dinesh Maheshwari that the performance of the students in Class 11 and Class 10 exams will also be factored in while making the assessments for Class 12 students.
For Class 10 and 11, marks in best of three from five papers in term exams will be considered. For Class 12, marks obtained in unit, term and practicals will be taken into account.
The CBSE said for Class 12, marks based on unit test, mid-term and pre-board exam will have 40 per cent weightage; Class 11, marks based on the theory component of the final exam will have 30 per cent weightage; and Class 10 marks based on average theory component of the best three performing subjects out of the main 5 subjects will have 30 per cent weightage.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) said, however, that it would consider the performance of students for last six classes unlike CBSE, which is taking note of performance in class 10, 11 and 12 exams, in finalising the final board results.
Both the boards said they would declare the results on or before July 31.
It said the marks obtained by class 12 students in practical and internal assessment on actual basis as uploaded by schools on CBSE Portal will be also considered in deciding final results.
Attorney General K K Venugopal, representing the CBSE, told the Supreme Court that there may be a moderation committee to look into the difference in marking mechanism adopted by various schools to put all students as far as the awarding of final marks for Class 12 is concerned.
He added that the total marks awarded should be in consonance with the past performance of the school in Class 12 board examinations.
The Assessment
According to the policy, a result committee under the principal of the school will be formed in each school comprising of two senior most Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) from the same school and two PGT from the neighbouring schools. The committee has been given liberty to prepare the result by following the policy.
Elaborating on the criteria for the Class 12 assessment, the CBSE said: "The computation of theory marks for Class 12 will be based on performance in one or more Unit Test(s)/Mid-Term/Pre-Board(s) theory examination. The result committee of the school may decide weightage to be given to each exam based on the credibility and reliability of the assessment. For example, if the committee may be of the considered view that only the Pre-Board exams may be taken into consideration, then full weightage can be given to that component. Similarly, another school result committee may decide to give equal weightage to Pre-Board exams and Mid-Term exams".
Computation of Class 12 theory marks will be on the basis of the year end final theory exam in the respective subjects. "Computation of Class 10 theory marks shall be based on average theory marks obtained by the student(s) in best three performing subjects out of the main 5 subjects. This average will be uniformly awarded to all the Class 12 subjects based on theory weightage", added the affidavit.
"In case where any candidate is not satisfied with the assessment done, based on the policy, such candidates will be given an opportunity to appear in examinations to be conducted by the Board, when conditions are conducive for holding the examinations. As per this policy, marks scored in the later examination will be considered as final", said the CBSE's affidavit. Most counsel appearing for the students concurred with the CBSE assessment plan.
The CBSE finalized the formula after obtaining feedback from 229 Sahodaya School Complex comprising of 7,734 schools and a 13-member committee of experts, comprising of IAS officers and education experts, constituted on June 4.
During the hearing, the bench said there should be a forum for disputes redressal mechanism in the scheme itself and timelines be given as to when the results would be declared and the optional exams would be conducted.
There has to be some outer date. Optional examination will also be specified. Subject to conducive situations and logistical issues, the bench said, adding that if one lakh students decide to appear in optional exams then it can be managed keeping in mind the COVID protocols.
We will certainly do so. This is the totality of it. We will note down the suggestions and consider them seriously, Venugopal said.
We will have it on Monday. You (CBSE and CISCE) are free to finalise your scheme and notify it. If further suggestions are given, then we can consider it, the bench ordered.
CBSE later in the day notified its policy for evaluation of Class 12 students. The CBSE has asked schools to finalise results and upload it on the portal by July 15 while the final result will be declared by July 31.
'No relook at decision to cancel class 12 exams'
Meanwhile, the special vacation bench rejected the plea of senior advocate Vikas Singh that there should be a relook of the decisions of CBSE and CISCE to cancel class 12 board exams in view of the fact that tests like Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) would be conducted in physical manner.
"We have no manner of doubt that this cannot be taken forward. We have already accepted in principle the decision taken by the Boards and placed before us. In any case, the students who want to appear can do so for improvisation of marks and that takes care of the students who want to appear. In other words, no prejudice will be caused to students who want to appear," the bench said.
On Monday, senior lawyer Vikas Singh will advance arguments on assessment schemes.
The government had cancelled the 12th board examinations on June 1 due to the surge in Covid cases.
(With PTI and IANS inputs)