Pune parents oppose proposal to omit internal marks

The state education board’s decision to end the practice of adding internal marks in Class 10 exams has left parents of state and non-state board students in a duel mode over securing admission in class 11.

A Maharashtra government official said the issue would be discussed with the Union HRD ministry.

Parents of state board students point out that the students of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) are benefitted by the internal marks system, putting their wards at disadvantage.

After meeting a delegation of parents, minister Vinod Tawde said the government was mulling over whether to consider internal marks scored by CBSE, ICSE students in class 10 examination for securing admission in class 11.

Parents of non-state board students have opposed the minister’s statement.

“It is unfair to do away with the internal marks of our students. Our students do not get extra marks for extra-curricular activities, unlike state board wards. Their marks are based on practicals, presentations and other academic exercises. We plan to take legal action if our students fail to get admissions to Class 11,” said Sangram Parnekar, a ICSE parent.

The senior secondary certificate (SSC) Class 10 results were declared on June 8. As, for the first time, internal marks were not included, students had to give 100 marks written exams. With non-state board students still getting internal marks, parents of state board said it benefit the former in getting admissions through online process in the Class 11.

Another parent Manisha Jain said, “The state education department should address the issue, but non-state board students should not suffer as their number in Maharashtra is hardly four per cent. Internal marks are not given arbitrarily by teachers to our students. In CBSE exams, these 20 marks are inclusive of terminal exam and two unit tests, notebook keeping, practical and oral exams and projects.”