Should a class X CBSE students Opt for giving the External Exam or should they settle for the Internal School Exams ?

The CBSE has sought to strengthen the educational system by brining out the Examination reforms and has introduced the Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation (CCE) system for std. IX and X. 

The CCE is basically a school based evaluation system rather than the currently followed external examination. CCE addresses a more holistic assessment of the students.

While introducing the new system, the board has also retained board’s external examination which is optional. There are nearly eight lakh students for the CBSE Examination this year. Hence the question in every student’s mind is “Whether to opt for Board exams 2011 or not?”

Here are a few points which should be noted before arriving at any decision.

There are two types of schools under the CBSE System,

i)  Secondary schools that have classes only up to std X only. ( Such as in states like Maharashtra where the 11^th and 12^th fall under the term Junior College.)

ii)  Senior secondary schools that have classes up to XII.

In the first case the students have no option but to go for the External Examination system as they must necessarily  leave the CBSE system and follow the State Board System.

( Note : Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Mrs. D. Purandeswari, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, has clarified that students studying in CBSE's Secondary Schools will be required to appear in the Board's 'External Examination' because they will be leaving the Secondary School after Class 10. )

In the second case there exist three options

a) To rely on the new CCE System.

This option is only available to those who wish to continue in the CBSE board and in the same school.

b) To opt for the external External examination system.

This option is suitable if the student wishes to change either the school or the board or both.

c)  To do both the CCE and external examination.

This option is suitable for those students…

·        who want to be assessed independently on their Academic performance.

·        who wish to keep their options of choice of change of board or school open.

·        who do not trust the efficacy of the New System prefer the Time Tested old system.

·        who are better at achieving grades with intensive study rather than a Continuous study.

·        Who wish to make up in the external examination if they feel that they have not performed well in the CCE.

The New System if implemented in the right perspective will surely boost academic performance and rote learning based exam stress.

Dev Lulla.

For any query regarding this article please email : devlulla@yahoo.com