Only Class 12 marks to be considered for higher education, Tamil Nadu issues GO

The Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn its proposal to provide a consolidated mark sheet for Classes 11 and 12, said School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan, speaking to reporters on Saturday.

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn its proposal to provide a consolidated mark sheet for Classes 11 and 12, said School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan, speaking to reporters on Saturday.

Two mark sheets, each for 600 marks, will be issued separately, he said, adding, “Students will write Class 12 board exams for 600 marks. Their performance from this exam alone will be considered for higher education.”

The State issued GO 195 to this effect on Friday. “Students who clear both class 11 and 12 board exams alone, will get two separate mark sheets evaluating them out of 600 each year,” said the order.  Board exam was introduced for the first time in Class 11 in TN in 2018, in order to give importance to all topics covered in higher secondary. Earlier, a mark sheet of 1,200 marks was proposed to be given at the end of Class 12.

Sengottaiyan clarified that Class 11 exams will continue to be held. Students will get Class 12 marksheet, only after they clear the Class 11 board exams. “We received complaints that students were stressed. Students will feel relaxed and be able to prepare better when only 600 marks are used for entry into higher education.”

Sengottaiyan inaugurated 413 free government NEET coaching centres. While over 70,000 students enrolled for the coaching last year, only about 28,000 have registered this year. “We let any interested student register last year. This year, we asked schools to select bright students interested in cracking entrance exams alone,” Sengottaiyan said.

A total of 1,123 schools have 10 or less students, he said. Schools will be conducting campaigns to improve enrolment. “We are working to provide kindergarten training in English and Tamil to attract students,” he said.

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