CBSE may end marks spike in board exams

NEW DELHI: Spiking of marks in CBSE board exams is likely to stop next year, though the practice of moderation will continue, and the mark sheet will mention if a student has got grace marks without specifying the quantum.

These are recommendations of the inter-board working group headed by the CBSE chairman with members from Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Telangana, Chattisgarh, Manipur and ICSE boards.

These decisions were taken during a meeting held on August 28, and the recommendations will now be sent to the HRD ministry for adoption by various states. The group had been formed to look into issues related to the moderation policy.

To ensure there is uniformity in the question papers of various boards, it has also been decided that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will develop model sample question papers that will be circulated to all boards.

“The sample question papers will help states decide how many questions should be difficult, how many should be easy and what type of questions should be used. Depending on the state’s requirement they will use the sample questions to develop their own. This will bring in greater uniformity in the evaluation system,” one of the members of the group told HT.

There was consensus among members to do away with spiking of marks as it is not a true reflection of performance.

States will however have to transparently post their moderation policy on the websites.

STATES WILL HAVE TO POST THEIR MODERATION POLICY ON THE WEBSITE IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER