CBSE launches e-portals, helpline for students
For the first time, examiners for practicals will convey their consent online to the CBSE regional office in Dehradun.
With Class X and XII board examinations approaching, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched “E-CBSE”, a userfriendly web-based portal, for the ease of students and schools. The CBSE will also launch a toll-free helpline number “1800 11 8004” from 1 February to help students with any exam-related query. The CBSE would be conducting the board examinations this year from 1 March till 22 April. A total of 1,499,122 candidates have registered for the Class X exams this year, while 1,067,900 candidates have registered for Class XII exams.
“The web-based features of E-CBSE will help schools generate roll numbers and make corrections in the particular. Schools can also upload internal subject assessment grades of Class XII, download admit cards and attendance sheets for the exams. For the first time, the examiners appointed for the practical exams will be able to convey their consent online to the CBSE regional office in Dehradun, as of now. Along with this, the practical examiners for the very first time will be able to upload the marks for the practicals and projects of Class XII online instead of filling up manual award lists,” said Rama Sharma, PRO, CBSE.
The toll-free helpline number, which will be available till 22 April, would be operational from 8 am to 10 pm on all seven days a week during this period and would be accessible from any part of the country. Specially appointed operators would be handling general queries, while anxiety and stress related queries would be handled by counsellors and principals from various schools.
“The CBSE tele-counselling sessions are offered by trained principals of schools and counsellors from with- in CBSE affiliated schools in and outside India. It is a voluntary and free-of-cost service provided by the participants. This year, 76 principals, trained counsellors from CBSE-affiliated government and private schools and few psychologists will participate in the tele-counselling sessions and address exam related psychological problems of the students,” Sharma added.
This initiative of the CBSE has also drawn applause from schools in Delhi. Ritu P. Solomon, principal, Queen Mary’s School, Tis Hazari, has praised the CBSE’s decision to help students by walking the extra mile. “This is a very welcome step by the CBSE. The world today is shifting towards digitalisation and E-CBSE is something that would help both the students and schools,” she said.
“Students, particularly in Class XII, undergo a lot of stress and anxiety before exams. This can be due to parental or peer pressure. Competition these days has become very tough, putting added pressure on students and if the CBSE can help students overcome stress and anxiety through this helpline number, it is something to cheer about. Our school also has a separate department of counseling that helps students destress themselves during this period,” she said.
Sonal Bedi, a senior English teacher at Modern School, Barakhamba, said, “Today’s world is obsessed with examinations and marks. To some extent, the competition can cause high levels of stress, and if the CBSE can implement these e-portals and helplines to supplement their studies (and maintain them), it can be extremely useful for the development of students as it could give them an idea of what to expect from their examiner and procure good marks.” The Delhi Legislative Assembly wants a television channel that will highlight the proceedings inside the Assembly, on the lines of Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV, though at present, no other state in the country has a separate Assembly channel.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has sought an independent TV channel to be totally owned and run by the Assembly. A letter has been sent to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for licence for the same. Goel has also appealed to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to initiate measures to secure a mechanism wherein every legislature which applies for licence automatically gets it “as a matter of right”. Goel has said, “Since the proposed channels will be on the lines of Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV, there should not be any problem in granting licence.” He also sought Mahajan’s help in getting necessary clearances from the Centre in making legislatures “paperless” through the “e-Vidhan project” for which the Delhi Assembly is one of the applicants.
Stressing on the “validity” of an independent television channel for Delhi Assembly, Prasanna Kumar, secretary, Delhi Assembly, said, “It is well within the constitutional framework and I&B Ministry will hopefully grant the permission.”
The letter requesting the licence was sent to the I&B Ministry on 6 November last year and an acknowledgement was received by the secretary on 14 December. However, so far, there has been no further communication on the subject. “We want to implement transparency and ensure accountability by allowing the public to view what really goes on inside the Assembly. Currently, the Assembly is at the mercy of news channels,” Kumar said.
At present, no other state in the country has a separate Assembly channel, but Kumar said, “It is the prerogative of the state Assemblies to decide what they want. The Delhi Assembly has made it clear that they need a channel dedicated towards highlighting the proceedings as well as informing the public about the constitutional machinery.” Though the permission hasn’t been granted yet, the government has put up an advertisement on the website of the Delhi Assembly, inviting applications for the position of “consultant” for television projects. “We’re looking into possible proposals and are in the process of receiving quotes from various companies. We are sure that our request will be granted. Even if we don’t get a separate channel, we will air the legislative proceedings through internet feeds for the public,” Kumar said. Authorities at the I&B Ministry were unavailable for comment.