School education boards in public perception are the organisations that conduct Class X and XII examinations the results of which determine the future of millions of children every year. The fondest parental dream is to find their child among ‘toppers’. Many stretch their means to get admission in a good ‘public school’, followed by tuitions and coaching classes. In search for good schools, parents even shift to other towns, Kota being one example.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is considered the most prestigious among all boards. Over the years, it has been burdened with the conduct of several all-India level examinations in areas that do not come within its mandate. It is indeed encouraging that the CBSE has realised the need to focus on its stipulated tasks, and shun this avoidable flab. With over 18,000 schools spread all over India and also in 21 other countries, CBSE could become a great resource for researchers and scholars working to improve content and process of education.
Twenty-five lakh children appeared in its Class X and XII exams of 2016. Professional inputs received from such a sample could transform the process of curriculum development, syllabus renewal and preparation of textual materials, and supplementary reading and learning inputs. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) conducts researches, surveys and innovations, trains teachers, prepares textbooks and suggests improvements in pedagogy. To perform these functions with excellence, there can be nothing better than close collaboration between these two bodies. CBSE schools generally use the NCERT textbooks. The feedback collected by CBSE could be of immense help in improving the textbooks. Over the years, certain aberrations in the relationship between the two organisations need to be sorted out. One example: Preparation of textbooks and other materials must be handled by NCERT, which has the necessary expertise. The CBSE should not get into it and in no case it should commission private profit-oriented bodies to look after its training needs.
Media reports indicate CBSE is reconsidering the issue of Class X exams—compulsory or optional! When the decision to make it optional was arrived at, the CBSE was made to endorse it, obviously under political pressure. Equally untimely was the decision to hastily abolish evaluation of learning attainments up to Class VIII, and introduction of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation without providing teachers in right teacher-taught ratio and suitable training. CBSE needs to function in close collaboration with the NCERT, which has acquired a great reputation, nationally and internationally. Making Class X board exam optional impacted most disastrously on the children from weaker sections.
The only shining light was refusal of state boards to accept it. Reports indicate that the revamped setup in the CBSE is keen to get rid of exams other than those of Class X and XII that are included in its professional obligation. Central and State governments can set up a new structure for conducting NET, NEET, AIPMT and several others. It requires to be put in place with urgency. CBSE must be allowed to come up with findings on how the quality could be improved upon, how the best can be drawn out of ‘body, mind and spirit’, how curriculum load could be reduced, how an attitudinal transformation to value skill acquisition on par with cognitive abilities is achieved. CBSE could evolve strategies on how to wean parents away from imposing stressful tuitions and avoid coaching shops! Only CBSE is equipped to let children play in the evening instead of struggling with homework in closed rooms. Once convinced of its true potential, CBSE could play the professional leadership role and impact the education system across the board, higher education included.
The writer is former director of the NCERT
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