Parents unhappy with CBSE decision

Parents in the city are not happy with the CBSE’s decision to make the standard X board examinations optional, although principals of the city’s 15 CBSE schools have welcomed Cobse’s move. “I agree there is tremendous pressure on students, but if there is no pressure, they will not take studies seriously. Cobse’s step may weaken their knowledge base,” said Atul Mathuria, whose child is in Rajhans Vidyalaya, Andheri.

But Jose Kurien, principal, DAV School, Nerul, said: “Although there are apprehensions, I don’t think the move will affect a student’s learning process in any way. It is a brilliant idea for making studies stress-free and kill unnecessary competition between students. Examinations do not add to a student’s learning factor.”

Avnita Bir, principal, RN Podar School, agreed. “Making the standard X exams optional is a change in the right direction. This way, the transition from standard X to XI will be easier,” she said. “We are moving from ‘learning for marks’ to ‘learning for understanding’.”