Extended to Class X from this year, CCE has students studying for exams throughout the year instead of annual Boards
DHRUV Sharma, a Class X student of a school in Southwest Delhi, is preparing for his “term-ending” examination in March next year. Unlike earlier batches of Class X students who had to prepare for the entire syllabus for their Board exams, Dhruv is preparing for only half of the syllabus in all subjects.
Like Dhruv, thousands of Class X students across the Capital are upbeat about the upcoming exams, thanks to the reduced syllabus. This is the first batch of Class X students who were evaluated by the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) Scheme, introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) last year in Class IX and later extended to Class X.
“For the upcoming exams, the pressure to score high marks is not there, and the syllabus is half,” says Dhruv, student of Bal Bharati Public School, Dwarka. “But I had to study consistently through the year.”
Under the CCE Scheme, an academic year is divided into two terms — each has two formative assessments and a term-ending summative assessment (FA1, FA2 and SA1 in the first term, and FA3, FA4 and SA2 in the second term). Students are thus evaluated throughout the year.
The CCE also mandates that students be graded in all subjects. Says Akshita Khetrapal, a Class X student appearing for FA4 at her school in Dwarka, “Grades have made it easier. The stress is lower.”
Last year, while Class X students were awarded grades and grade points in each subject, they had to prepare for the whole syllabus. This year is different, and the students and their parents are more relaxed.
Says Mohini Bindra, principal of Ramjas School Pusa Road, “Class X students never participated in annual day functions earlier, but things have changed. This year, the whole class participated.” That might, however, have more to do with the fact that students are being graded not only in subjects, but also in co-scholastic areas — life skills, attitude toward teachers and schoolmates, and participation in school programmes and other activities. For the FAs, students were also given projects in different subjects throughout the year.
D K Bedi, principal of Apeejay School, Pitampura, says, “By December-end, parents of Class X students used to put a lot of pressure on them. That is gone now. Students are more relaxed.” He adds, “Also, since students have already appeared for FA3 in their second term and are left with FA4 and SA2, there is a lot less to prepare for.”
Usha Ram, principal of Laxman Public School, Hauz Khas, says, “Students are less burdened this time round. But we will hold a small pre-test before SA2 in our school so that students do not take their studies lightly.”
Some students, however, feel the earlier pattern was better. “I got the chance to revise the entire syllabus and brush up the topics I was weak in,” says Akshita. “Trigonometry, for example, was in our first term, in which I did not do well. It is included in the syllabi of Classes XI and XII. I wanted to revise the subject before going to Class XI. But now I don’t have that chance.”
Grades
The report card has three sections
Scholastic Areas: Divided into two parts — 1A (subjects) and 1B (work experience, art education, physical and health education.
* Scores in 1A are awarded on a nine-point scale.
* Students getting 91-100 per cent in a subject are awarded A1 grade and a grade point of 10.
* Students getting 81-90 per cent get A1 and a grade point of 9.
* Student getting 71-80 per cent get B1 and a grade point of 8.
Co-scholastic areas
Divided into 2A and 2B
Comprise
A: Life Skills: Thinking skills; social skills; emotional skills
B: Attitudes and Values: Towards teachers; schoolmates; school programmes; environment value systems
Co-Scholastic activities
3A and 3B. Any activity (like literary skills, music; Physical and Health Education.
Comprise:
Literary and creative skills; scientific skills; aesthetic and performing skills; clubs (eco clubs, health and wellness and others)
* Students also get a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) at the end of the academic year. They can calculate their approximate percentage in a subject by multiplying the grade point scored in that subject with a factor of 9.5.
No failures
The practice of declaring compartment/fail has been discontinued. Candidates who obtain qualifying grades (D and above) in all subjects, excluding the additional subject, has to be given a qualifying certificate. Candidates who obtain grade E1 or E2 in a subject are told to improve their performance through five subsequent attempts. Those who do not get qualifying grades in all subjects, excluding the additional subject, are not permitted to continue to Class XI.IE
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