There is no move to introduce a different system of evaluation akin to the CBSE's Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation, which takes account of a range of skills, apart from academics.
Although the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to make the annual board examination at the end of class X optional, the other pan-India board of secondary education, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), has decided that all students must face the board examination, without exception.
There is no move to introduce a different system of evaluation akin to the CBSE's Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation, (CCE), which takes account of a range of skills, apart from academics.
Principals of the ICSE schools in the city feel that a little stress as a teenager never did any harm. It is a challenge that students must face, and it will strengthen them and leave them better prepared to face examinations in future.
“The ICSE board should not make the examination optional. A board exam is any day better. It gives students an idea about where they stand, at the all-India level. Facing the first such examination at the age of 15 or 16 will leave the student better equipped for such examinations in future, and empower him/her to deal with other examinations they have to take for entry to professional courses and colleges with confidence,” said Radhika Lobo, principal, New Horizon Public School.
The principals added that the ICSE board had a record of conducting systematic and impartial examinations, so there was no question of undue stress. Besides, if the schools were allowed to conduct the final examination of their own, the whole seriousness of the exercise would get lost.
“The ICSE is organised and systematic. There is no reason to make the examination optional. The stress that children face in taking the examination is healthy,” said Sister Pauline, principal, Sacred Heart Girl's High School. She added that students who felt that they could not cope with the pressure of the board
examination already had other options — they could shift to another board, or take the open school route for higher education.
Father Celestine Sera, principal, St. Joseph's Boys' High School, said that the centralised correction process also ensured that there was fairness in the system, and all bias was ruled out. This too was one reason why it was healthy for students passing out of secondary school to take the board examination, he said.
He added that there was no need to divide students at the end of class ten, into two categories, those taking the board examinations and those choosing not to.
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