Come 2019, paper pattern for Class 12 can be picked

In a move that would be a relief for over 5 lakh students, the state education department will allow students to pick between an easier and a slightly difficult paper pattern for class 12 board exams from 2019. State Education Vinod Tawde announced on Thursday that the government is considering to offer students a choice to pick the difficulty level depending on whether or not they want to appear for competitive exams like JEE, NEET etc.

On Thursday, DNA had reported about the state board's move to make the paper pattern for class XI tougher with a view to prepare students for national level competitive exams. The same would be extended to class 12 from 2018 after the government comes up with a revised curriculum fore the grade. However the move was slammed by educationists stating that it would affect students who have no plans to take up national entrance exams in class 12 as their scores would be affected as per the new pattern.

Tawde said that considering the case of such students, the education department is thinking of offering two options from 2019. "The idea behind having a tougher pattern was to make our exams at par with national level entrance tests so that students can prepare for both at once. However there might be students who do not want to pursue medical or engineering and want to do other traditioanal courses instead. Keeping that in mind, we are thinking of giving them an option to opt for the old pattern at the time of filling the class 12 board forms" he added.

"To begin with the paper pattern is itself different as competitive exams have objective questions while there are subjective questions in the boards, " said Subhash Joshi, Trustee, Science Parivar.