CBSE Board Exam 2021: Major Decisions On Final Exams, Promotion, Assessment Policy

CBSE has canceled the board exams of Class 10 taking students’ well-being into account and said that the students of Class 10 will be promoted to the next classes on the basis of scores obtained by the candidate in the “different tests/exams conducted by the school during the year”.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its associated aftermath have thrown the board exams out of gear. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has canceled the board exams of Class 10 taking students’ well-being into account and said that the students of Class 10 will be promoted to the next classes on the basis of scores obtained by the candidate in the “different tests/exams conducted by the school during the year”. The Class 12 board exams in schools affiliated with CBSE have also been postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

CBSE Class 10 Assessment

CBSE has announced the assessment criteria for the canceled Class 10 board exams. As part of the CBSE Class 10 assessment criteria, the students will be evaluated on the basis of marks obtained in the tests and exams held during the academic year at the school level. The students will be assessed out of a maximum of 100 marks for each subject. While 20 marks have to be submitted by the schools as internal assessment as they have been doing, the remaining 80 marks will be based on scores in periodic tests, half-yearly or mid-term exams, and pre-board examinations.

However, the board also said: “In case schools have conducted more than one test/exam within each category [periodis test, half-yearly or mid-term], the resulting committee [formed for the purpose] may fix the weightage to be given to each test/exam within the category subject to the overall maximum marks for that category.”

CBSE Basic Mathematics Criterion

The board has allowed students who have opted for Basic Mathematics in Class 10 this year, to opt for the subject in Class 11 without having to write the Standard version of the paper later. This relaxation in policy has been prompted by the sharp rise in cases in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The relaxation is only for the current academic year.

“Exemption has again been extended to permit Mathematics in Class 11 if a student has offered Mathematics Basic (241) in Class 10,” the board has said.

Class 10 CBSE Compartment Exam

The compartment examination will be conducted by the school when the situation arising out of COVID-19 normals. As per the CBSE document, the compartment exam would be an objective paper based on sample papers shared by CBSE. Schools will have the discretion to hold the compartment exam in online or offline mode, depending on the situation.

"After the declaration of result, the school will conduct an objective type offline/online compartment examination based on the Sample Question papers provided by CBSE," the board said.

CBSE Class 9, 11 Exams

CBSE, on February 11, has advised the schools to conduct the final examinations of Classes 9 and 11 by following COVID-19 safety protocols and begin the new academic session from April 1, 2021.

CBSE said that the schools must follow all the by-laws to hold examinations. “This exam will also help in identifying learning gaps which could be addressed by the schools in new academic sessions at the beginning of the classes”.

Class 11 Admission

Students who fail to qualify for CBSE Class 10 board examinations on the basis of the evaluation criteria will also be permitted to continue with their Class 11 without seating for the compartment examinations.

“In case, the student is not able to meet the qualifying criterion, she/he may be allowed to continue in Class 11 till the declaration of result of compartment examination by CBSE,” the board added.

With respect to Class 11 admission, CBSE has directed the schools to avoid streaming in Class 11. Earlier, students had to select one stream from Arts, Commerce, or Science in Class 11. This year, students will be allowed to take any combination of subjects without any streaming.

“As per the scheme of studies of the Board, students are allowed to offer any combination of subjects without any streaming, hence, schools should also follow the same,” read the CBSE statement.

CBSE Class 12 Exams

Considering the difficulties a student might face while taking the Class 12 board exams, CBSE has postponed the final exams. The board will release the new Class 12 board exam dates at least 15 days before scheduling the exams. While announcing the postponement, the CBSE had said that the board will review the situation and take a call on Class 12 exams on June 1.

“The Board exams for Class 12 to be held from May 4 to June 14, 2021, are hereby postponed. These exams will be held thereafter. The situation will be reviewed on June 1, 2021, and by the Board, and details be shared subsequently. A notice of at least 15 days will be given before the start of the examinations,” CBSE said.