BHUBANESWAR: There will be no first year examination for Plus Two students this year. This was announced by School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra after a high-level meeting between School and Mass Education and Higher Education Departments on Thursday.
The Minister said since there is little time for students to prepare for the examination in a new pattern, it has been decided to consider holding of first year examination till next academic session.
The Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) had earlier announced to hold first year examination for 10+2 students in the current (2016-17) academic session. Although the CHSE Examination Committee had approached the State Government in 2015 to introduce examination in first year by amending Odisha Higher Secondary Act, 1982, the latter did not give a clearance.
Examination in the first year was recommended by Higher Education Department’s fact finding committee which was constituted in 2014 to suggest changes in Plus Two syllabus, examination and evaluation. The committee had submitted its final report to the department last year and recommended examination for Plus Two first year so that both teachers and students can take more interest in studies.
Only annual Plus Two examination was held by CHSE in junior colleges that were brought under the purview of School and Mass Education Department this year. The committee had pointed out that in absence of an examination in the first year, students treat the first year syllabus as insignificant. This leads to poor scores in Plus Two second year and National-level entrance examinations.