TIRUCHY: In a bid to improve academic performance and raise the pass percentage in board examinations, Tiruchy Chief Educational Officer (CEO) has directed all higher secondary schools to conduct daily evening slip tests for the students of Class XII.
The initiative, piloted last year on a smaller scale, is now being enforced strictly across 250 government and aided schools, covering more than 22,000 students. Before the cancellation of the public examination for class XI, the tests were conducted for both the classes.
Officials stressed that the tests are conducted without affecting the completion of the regular syllabus, which is being covered as per the academic schedule for the year. Subject teachers handle portions systematically during class hours, while slip tests in the evenings are used to reinforce what has been taught earlier.
The papers are set collaboratively by subject teachers, compiled into a common question bank, and circulated to headmasters to ensure uniformity across schools. The daily tests range from 25 to 30 marks, and sometimes up to 50 marks, with most questions in short-answer format. Students are tested across subjects on a rotational basis.
This means they are not examined on the same lesson taught that morning but on the lessons completed within the syllabus sequence. Education officials said this method trains students to stay exam-ready throughout the year. The system is expected to particularly benefit the nearly 700 students who failed Class XI examinations but advanced to Class XII through supplementary exams.
“The slip tests will not only secure pass marks but also improve writing practice, subject depth, and long-term retention,” an official said. Teachers said the initiative is also preparing students for competitive exams. “Each subject portion takes about a week to complete.
With slip tests happening in parallel, students revise regularly and understand the subject in depth,” said a teacher from Syed Murtuza Thagaisal Higher Secondary School, where over 250 students are writing the tests daily. Officials pointed out that when the tests were piloted last year, the model raised the district’s average pass percentage by 1%.
With full-scale implementation this year, they expect a sharper increase. The CEO-driven initiative, which has been in place for a month, is being described as a district-level innovation aimed at improving both performance and confidence of students as they prepare for crucial board exams.