Millions of high school students may be greatly relieved that one of India’s most important exams, the so-called board exams, will now be administered twice annually rather than once as in the past. This significant change is a component of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education, which was unveiled on Wednesday (Aug. 23) by India’s Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in conjunction with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
In order to improve their performance, all students will be permitted to take the board exams twice a year, according to the NCF. The subjects that the students believe they have adequately prepared for can be put up for examination. Additionally, the ministry guaranteed that students may keep their top grades.
“Board exams will be offered at least twice a year to ensure students have enough time and opportunity to perform well,” the education ministry stated. Following that, students may show up for a board exam in a subject they have finished and feel prepared for. Additionally, they will be able to keep their top rating.
Additionally, all Class 11 and 12 students will study two languages, one of which must be an Indian language. The NFC claimed that the exam will evaluate competency knowledge and achievement rather than months of coaching and memory in order to “easily” change the existing “high stakes” nature of board exams.
It further said that before beginning work, Board exam developers and assessors would need to complete university-accredited training programs. In order to correspond with the NEP curriculum, the NCF hopes to give “on-demand” tests very soon.
It is anticipated that the ministry will both eliminate and improve the practice of covering textbooks. Up until this point, students in grades 9 through 12 had five required subjects and one elective, but the new educational framework calls for students in grades 9 and 10 to take seven required subjects and students in grades 11 and 12 to take six. All optional disciplines have been divided into three categories by the NCF; the first category covers art, physical education, and vocational education. In addition, whereas the third group consists of science, mathematics, and computational thinking, the second group comprises humanities, social science, and multidisciplinary fields.
This division strives to give students more freedom to select stimulating academic combinations in accordance with their interests. “The textbooks for Classes 3–12 are to be aligned with 21st-century requirements, making them rooted and futuristic,” continued Pradhan.
Overall, the NCF’s emphasis on flexibility, skill assessment, and thorough assessment is in line with the changing demands of the educational world. According to experts, the implementation of biannual board exams beginning with session 2024–2025, in line with NEP 2020, has a number of potential advantages. “It might give students more chances to demonstrate their understanding of the curriculum and level of learning. Additionally, this modification can lessen the tremendous pressure that frequently comes with a single annual exam, fostering a healthier attitude to learning, according to Silpi Sahoo, chairperson of the Sai International Education Group in Odisha.
