BENGALURU: The Department of Public Instruction has issued an order stating that annual exams should be conducted for students of Classes 5 and 8 from the ongoing academic year in all schools across Karnataka.
The order stated that the decision is being taken as it was getting difficult to judge the overall performance of the students under the ongoing system of Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) for students studying in classes 1 to 9.
Education Minister B C Nagesh said the exams for students of class 5 and class 8 have been announced to improve the children’s learning capacity. It has been observed that children are scared while writing the SSLC exams as they lack confidence and are not competent. Under the new system, children will write exams like those who appear for exams under CBSE or ICSE syllabi.
The minister said details were being finalised on who should evaluate the question papers and whether it should be at school, taluk or state level. A senior official from the Education Department, seeking anonymity, said, the process of exams is starting for students of Grades 5 and 8 in the ongoing academic year. But the syllabi for evaluation for exams will be from November to February and will be of 50 marks.
Exams won’t be difficult: Official
The first 20 marks will be for multiple choice questions, another 20 marks for SA and 10 marks for oral exams. “So far, students were writing only midterm and annual exams which were being assessed by the school. But now it will be evaluated by invigilators from other centres.
For example, a teacher from Yeshwanthpur will be evaluating the answer scripts of a student from Malleswaram. The idea is taken from Kalika Chetharike and the NEP assessment method. The exams for students of grades 5 and 8 will be like the SSLC board exams but not so difficult. No student will fail,” the official added.