Examination or no examination?-SSLC exam in India at crossroads.

By Chinnaa

Greetings

The recent submission of Yash Pal committee report on higher education and the subsequent reactions for and against it through out India has become controversial in the sense that all stakeholders of the education such as students, parents and teachers are already confused.

There is not an iota of doubt in the minds of all concerned that the stress and pressure of education on the children should be reduced and the children should feel that education is not a burden but a desirable vocation.

Cancelling SSLC exam is not as easy as it involves the cooperation of all State governments and Union territories of India. Respective federal governments are answerable to their local citizens, teachers, parents and students themselves.

Lessening the educational related stress and pressure is one thing and this need not necessarily be related to the removal of SSLC public examination. The public examination can be continued with diverse methods of final examination. Like introduction of continuous internal assessment for 30% evaluated by external examiners secretly employed by education dept and by projects and assignments for 20%again evaluated by external examiners can be thought of.

Remaining 50% can be for public examination. Instead of marks, different grades can be introduced beyond 40%, with each different grade for every 5 marks difference. This will be a level playing exercise and there will not be a feeling of cut throat competition.

But doing away completely with the SSLC public examination will be a great deterrent as our students in India work seriously only when there is a legal requirement. If there is no public exam, they will cut the classes, while away the time in spare time activities including cricket related affairs.

From pre-LKG to Ninth standard, say, 12 years there is no external exam. Only in their 13th year that is for SSLC, they write their first government examination. Let them have it.