Centre frowns on extra marks in exams

policy to award extra marks for difficult questions in school exams is under review as the practice apparently promotes inflated scores in the class 12 finals and abnormally high college admission cut-offs, consequently.

Eye-popping cut-offs in popular colleges of Delhi University were debated before every academic session over the past several years Delhi University colleges, the cutoff touches 100%, the maximum marks a student can get in a subject in the higher secondary exam.

The government appears to be seeking a way to control the practice as this leads to uninhibited competition and piles more pressure on students to push for marks. The policy will be discussed at a meeting called by the human resource development (HRD) ministry of state education secretaries and chairman of state boards on April 24 “moderation” policy to give students extra marks for difficult questions is on the table, as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) too wants the practice scrapped.

The CBSE, which runs more than 1,800 schools in the country, has requested the ministry to take all the states on board.

The CBSE and state boards had awarded up to 15% extra marks in subjects perceived to be tough such as mathematics and physics. But the favour has a ceiling of 95% A score of say 80% one scoring 95% or above.

The grace marks, in turn, spawns a surfeit of students scoring 95% or above marks. That subsequently shoves up the college cut-offs during admission to graduation courses.

“It has been going on for quite some time and is unjust on those working hard and getting 95% without moderation,” a senior government official said. “The meeting will discuss what corrective measures can be taken and every state has to be on board for doing away with the policy ”