Many students, parents concerned about inclusion of internals in CBSE’s Class 12 score formula

New Delhi Though the revised formula to evaluate Class 12 results, notified by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday, has put an end to months of uncertainty, many graduating students and their parents have raised concerns over inclusion of internal scores of classes 11 and 12 while calculating the final marks.

Endorsing the inclusion of Class 10 board exam marks in the results for the sake of uniformity and standardisation, Riya Chauhan (17), a Class 12 student at Modern Public School in Shalimar Bagh, however, said that taking internal test scores of classes 11 and 12 may put students at disadvantage.

“The internal assessments in classes 11 and 12 is always tough. Besides, students were appearing for various competitive examinations while preparing for their pre-boards. The current evaluation pattern will put students at a disadvantage because these marks will be used for our higher education prospects as well,” she said.

Following the cancellation of Class 12 CBSE exams on June 1 amid rising Covid-19 cases, the education board on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it would compile the Class 12 results on the basis of the Class 10 board exam (30%), Class 11 annual exam (30%), and Class 12 pre-boards, mid-terms as well as unit test scores (40%).

Some students said that they gave a satisfactory performance in the Class 10 boards and subsequent internals, but expressed concern about classmates who often study at the last minute.

Kunal Singh, a Class 12 student at a government school in Nand Nagri, said, “I have scored good marks in all three years. But not every student has the same studying pattern. Many study better at the last minute and perform well in the boards as compared to school exams. Switching to online learning during the final year of school and the pandemic-related anxieties will also have an impact on the Class 12 internal test scores which carry the maximum weightage.”

Prachi Kacker, whose daughter studies in Class 12 in The Indian School, said they have “accepted the criteria” and want to focus on the future now. “Class 11 students are not serious with their academics because they have just appeared for one board exam and have to prepare for another next year. The same batch of students was pushed towards isolation in Class 12 last year and that too impacted their studies. Though CBSE has given an option to reappear for the exams if they are not satisfied with the marks, it is not practical because it would mean losing another year. These children have to move on.”

Aprajita Gautam, president of Delhi Parents Association and the mother of a Class 12 student, said schools must keep these factors in mind while marking students. “Class 11 students take some time to settle in with their new subjects and curriculum. Schools also do strict marking in Class 11 to prepare them for boards. Class 12 pre-boards were also conducted amid the chaos of the pandemic. These factors call for a humanitarian approach while compiling results by schools.”