In 2009-10, the UPA II government took one of the most important decisions of its tenure as the ruling party. The Class X examination in the CBSE Board was made optional and the exam-heavy system was replaced with the Continuous and Comprehensive Evolution (CCE), in a move that was widely hailed as revolutionary. The new method focussed on the all-round development of the student, laying great emphasis on extra-curricular activities and life skills.
The decision has always had its share of critics and seven years later, following pressure from a section of academics and school managements, CBSE has decided to re-introduce the old system. Students are bearing the brunt of this, having been instructed by schools to set aside all extra curricular activites for the next year. However, what irks parents most is the fact that the decision was made without consulting stakeholders despite its far-reaching impact.
Old vs New: When MHRD minister Mr. Kapil Sibal announced making class X examination optional by introducing CCE, it was hailed as a revolutionary move, on par with educational policies followed in developed countries across the world. The highlight of the decision was making the Class X examination optional. At the time of implementation, it was said that the system will reduce stress and anxiety, which heightens considerably around exam time and could have an adverse impact on young students, especially those in the age group of 13-15 years.
It was believed that the decision will not only reduce performance-related anxiety but also lead to a decline in the dropout rate. It was also said that CCE will equip students with much-needed life skills like creative and critical thinking, social and coping skills which will keep them in good stead when they enter highly competitive work environments. Under the CCE system, Formative Assessment was given 40% weightage and Summative Assessment 60%.
Now CBSE wants schools to return to the old system of mandatory examinations. No weightage will be given to extra curricular activities, students will take three examinations in a year and the stress of making notes will return to haunt them. All this despite the fact that schools and CBSE officials alike agree that the cancellation of CCE will restrict students to class room activities.
"There was stiff resistance when MHRD introduced CCE in 2009, from a section of academicians. The same academicians are behind this decision to revert," said an officer from MHRD.
New system worth a try, but return to CCE if it fails
M.S Thimmappa, Former Vice Chancellor of Bangalore University
The problem with the (CCE) system was that private CBSE schools could have their own internal assessment, which they gave to their students. This is what lead to scrapping of the system. If CCE is to function smoothly as a system, there needs to be unshakeable integrity within individual schools.
It is up to the teacher to evaluate each student properly on academics and extracurricular activities. That credibility was not found when this system started in India. The student-teacher relationship also played an important role in the system. A lack of integrity on the part of the teacher would have a negative impact on the student.
The 80 % weightage on academics could instill confidence in the pupil. It is not a happy solution, but works in principle. In government schools, the majority of teachers are not adequately qualified. They pay money to land the job. In light of all these facts, 80 % weightage for academics is okay. The new method is worth a try but they need to see if it works. If it doesn’t and the solution proves worse than the problem, then it will have to be changed.
In terms of an individual's development, the new system is not good at all. The school is supposed to watch and nurture the student's growth in line with their talent and not solely based on grades. The institution should leave it to the teacher, while creating an atmosphere for growth. Managements are prone to interfering!
Ideally, education should not be marks based. This might be too revolutionary an idea and India might not be geared for it. Examinations should be scrapped. School should be about learning, not marks and grades. This is what will be better than either of the above solutions implemented by the Central Government.
Decision being forced on kids, say parents
For parents of CBSE school students, the decision to re-introduce the board examination for Class X from the next academic year, has come as a bolt from the blue. Mr. Ravi Kumar, a parent of a CBSE school student in the Central Business District (CBD), reveals he came to know about the mandatory board examination on the last day of his daughter's 2016-17 session.
“The school had arranged a meeting of all the parents and someone read out the circular. The teachers simply told us to ensure that our children concentrated on the examination and sidelined all other activities for a year. When we asked them if they supported the new arrangement, they simply said they had to go with what the management and the CBSE decided,” he recalled.
Many parents believe the decision is being imposed on the students without wide consultations. Said Mrs. Jyothi Krishnakumar, whose son is studying in a school in Koramangala and is a talented football player, “Last year some students had a problem even when the CBSE decided to make Saturday a full class day. We want our children to learn sports, dance and participate in all other such extra- curricular activities. Marks are not the only criteria for a good life. In this changing world, many parents and students want to achieve more than simply becoming doctors and engineers. This new system will kill all such dreams."
But ask a teacher of an elite school and she says except for a handful of schools, all the others want to stress on academic work as they see extra- curricular activities as a burden. “When this is the way the wind is blowing, why will anybody think about the students interests?" she asked pointedly.
