VIJAYAWADA: The State government’s decision to change the SSC examination pattern in the middle of the academic year has created confusion among the students and teachers, who are demanding that the reforms be implemented from the next academic year.
The parents are also worried over the changes in the middle of the academic year.
The State government had decided to cancel the internal marks in the class 10 examination. It had also changed the pattern of examination by cancelling the bit-paper. As per the decision, the question paper will have five essay questions for 20 marks, eight short questions for 16 marks, eight simple answer questions for eight marks and 12 very simple questions for six marks. First Language, Third Language and Non-Language subjects will have two papers and examination for each paper will be conducted for 50 marks. The pass marks will be calculated by adding paper 1 and paper 2 of each subject. Second Language paper will be conducted for 100 marks.
Speaking to TNIE, S Ramakrishna, president of Municipal Teachers Federation, said, “We support the government’s decision to bring in reforms in SSC examination and we also welcome the decision to cancel internal marks. However, implementing it from this academic year is not a good decision. Almost five months of the academic year have been completed and for class X students, the academic year starts way before. In July itself, the students started practising model question papers as part of their preparation for the examination. Changing the pattern in the middle of the academic year puts a lot of stress on the students and it may affect the results also. We are demanding that the government implement it from the next academic year.”
The officials had also decided to give additional 15 minutes for the candidates apart from the examination time of 150 minutes -- 10 minutes for going through the question paper and five minutes to verify their answers. Also there will be a 24-page for the students to write their answers and there will not be any additional answer sheets.
The parents and students are raising objections to the decision not to issue additional answer sheets.
“The entire syllabus was completed by September and now the students are undergoing revision classes and practising model question papers. It is unfair to change the pattern of the examination in the middle of the academic year. This will create confusion among the students and it may affect their grades. Also not providing additional answer sheets may affect them. We appeal to officials to drop the initiative this academic year,” said N Sirisha, a parent.