No questions on Class 9 topics in SSC social science papers

MUMBAI: Students appearing for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams this year will not have to attempt questions from Class 9 in the social sciences papers. The revision in the rules was announced in a recently issued circular by the state education department.

In language subjects, students will still be tested on grammar and writing skills from the previous year. In Science and Maths papers (both 1 and 2), about 40 marks will be allotted to questions that test the understanding of concepts from the previous year. Social science papers, how- ever, which includes History, Political Science and Geography will not contain any questions from Class 9.

Schools said that the decision would help release the stress that students already have about the new exam pattern. Starting this year, students will not answer an oral exam and instead answer 100-mark papers for all subjects except Maths and Science. “Students were already very stressed about completing their papers in time. With weightage being given to Class 9, they also had to study all the chapters from the previous year,” said the principal of a suburban school.

However, parents said that the decision should have been taken earlier to help students. “By December, most students finish studying their syllabus as they have their preliminary exams in January. If the announcement was made earlier, they could have saved time,” said Manisha Mhatre, a parent from Parel.

In the academic year 2016-17, the education department had revised its textbooks for Class 9 and 10 and introduced a new curriculum. The department had said that in order to test how many concepts learnt in earlier years had been retained by students, questions from the Class 9 syllabus would constitute 20% weightage in the board exams. MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Waqf Board (MSWB), after a meeting held earlier this week, has passed a resolution deciding to form two new teams of 10-12 members to look into complaints of encroachment on Waqf properties. It is also planning on setting up six Waqf board officers across the state.

The board has jurisdiction over all Muslim religious properties in the state. “Addressing concerns regarding Waqf properties was the original role of the board’s officers. However, several officers have been charged for corruption. These cases will be referred to the anti-corruption bureau, and a new team will be formed to look into complaints,” said Khalid Babu Qureshi, member of MSWB.

The board, during the meeting, also discussed the number of Islamic religious properties with the charity commissioner’s office that were to be transferred to the board after the implementation of Waqf Act in 1995.

Around 777 files pertaining to such cases in Mumbai are still pending with the charity commissioner, the board said. “We have now decided to approach the high court in the matter,” said Qureshi.

777 PROPERTIES THAT ARE WITH THE CHARITY COMMISSIONER WERE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE BOARD IN 1995, THE BOARD SAID