Question : Board Exams

(a) whether the Government is aware that the intellectual curiosity and flexibility are marginalised by the requirements of Board exams and students are ill equipped to handle the tests of real life;
(b) if so, whether most of the educationists and experts believe that the Board exam system in the country is leaving students increasingly less prepared to compete international market place which is a failure of the long term academic, economic and political consequences for the country;
(c) if so, whether the Government has made any study in this regard to find out the reasons for failing students during the Board exams;
(d) if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and
(e) the corrective initiatives taken/ being taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(Dr. SATYA PAL SINGH)

(a) and (b): No such information/report has been received in the Ministry of Human Resource Development so far. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF)-2005, which sets the guidelines and direction for the development of syllabi and textbooks at all the school stages, however, emphasises on shifting from content based testing to problem solving and competency based testing. It has also placed emphasis on developing creative potential and promoting positive outlook amongst students. Education, being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of schools and school examination Boards are under the
jurisdiction of the State/Union Territory Governments, it is for the respective State/Union Territory Governments to take appropriate action in the light of the recommendations contained in the NCF-2005. So far as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is concerned, the question papers sets by the Board, test the students in the areas of (i) Remembering, (ii) Understanding, (iii) Application, (iv) High Order Thinking Skill and (v) Evaluation, which equip the students in dealing with real life situations and enable them to be prepared for competing in international market.
(c): No, Madam.
(d): Does not arise.
(e): In order to increase focus on quality of elementary education, the Central Rules to The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 have been amended on 20th February 2017 to include reference on class-wise, subject- wise Learning Outcomes. Learning Outcomes are assessment standards indicating the expected levels of leaning that children should achieve for that class. These outcomes can be used as check points to assess learning at different points of time. The learning outcomes would help teachers to understand the learning levels of children in their respective classes individually as well as collectively.
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