Educational Reforms

Posted June 26, 2009 - 22:49 by isohelpline

India is now discussing changes in educational system. It is proposed to make 10th standard exam optional so as to reduce burden on the students. But will it really solve the problem faced by Indian education system today?


At present there are many systems operational in India. For example:

1. State Education Boards (Separate in all states)

Primarily education is states responsibility and hence we have educational boards in every state. State education boards makes it compulsory to learn everything local language. Too much emphasis is given on examinations and marks are deciding factor for promotion to next level. Exams are conducted on yearly basis though quarterly or six monthly internal assessments are done to evaluate students progress.

CBSC system is English medium but covers local languages as second or third language options. Schools follows marks as well as grade system to evaluate students. Exams are conducted normally on quarterly basis.

ICSE runs under University of Cambridge while IB is an independent board. Exams are conducted on weekly basis (shocking?) and students are awarded grades instead of marks.

How it all runs together:

  •  If your son or daughter is in a school under state board and you got a new job in another state, you kid is going to face nightmare because you can not put them either in state board school in the new state (they will teach in local language which your kid may not be familiar) or in CBSE or ICSE or IB (as they will talk only English)
  • If your son or daughter has passed 10th or 12th from a state board he / she will not get good ranks in competitive exams like CAT, CET etc.
  • If your job requires you to move across states you have only one choice CBSC as CBSC schools are available almost in every city unlike ICSE or IB which are available only in main cities.
  • All these boards follow their own curriculum and even if a child is ready to bear the burden on languages curriculum are not compatible to each other.
  • At present CBSC board conducts exams at national level for class 10th and 12th. Students from all boards normally participate in these examinations so as to get common ranking and eligibility to get admission in any institute across India.
  • Class 12th is base for eligibility for engineering, medical and other colleges. Many schools run up to 10th only and students switch to a coaching institutes or junior colleges for 11th and 12th.
  • Results of 10th are deciding factor for admission in these caching institutes and junior colleges which also prepares a student for competitive exams like CET and CAT.

It is now suggested to make 10th exam optional. but in fact this will not work as there is no other alternative evaluation system to coaching classes and junior colleges to enable admission. This is only possible if student opts for 11th and 12th in the same school but such schools are very less compared to other way round.

It is said that this will reduce the stress on the students which is not true. Students are evaluated only on their performance of class 12th instead education minister should introduce a system of board examination in 10th, 11th and 12th (all three classes) and students average performance should be considered for his /her eligibility in engineering, medical and other institutions. I will also recommend to eliminate CET, CAT marks as eligibility criteria for entire future of a student.

In a cricket crazy nation, I think every one will understand that you can not judge a player (bowler or batsman) based on only one match he/she played.

Best wishes to all. Please comment

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