Punjab Board Class 12 English Exam: Teachers call for grace marks as exam leaves students stumped

Class 12 students complain of the complexities in the long-format questions and grammar section in the English PSEB exam

Class 12 students under the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) have been left reeling after facing an unexpectedly challenging English examination, following their ordeal with a “out of syllabus” political science exam earlier. The General English paper has sparked widespread dismay among students and teachers alike, who found its difficulty level to be significantly higher than anticipated.

Students discussing the English paper outside the examination centre at Guru Nanak Public School in Ludhiana. (HT)

According to feedback from both students and educators, the exam posed a challenge, with many expressing serious doubts about the possibility of average students passing. Teachers have criticised the exam for its convoluted questions, some of which were entirely unrelated to the prescribed syllabus, catching students off guard.

Explaining the hurdles faced by students, teachers highlighted the complexities embedded within the long-format questions and the grammar section of the exam. They noted that questions purportedly based on course materials provided by the board were, in fact, sourced from unknown texts, leaving students baffled.

Speaking anonymously, an English lecturer from a government senior secondary school lamented, “We prepared students for the exam, focusing on the expected format and content, but the questions presented in the exam were entirely different from what we had anticipated, leading to confusion among students who already struggle with the subject.”

Furthermore, teachers highlighted a particular long-format question on character sketch, which they described as excessively complicated, resulting in the majority of students being unable to provide satisfactory answers. Concerns were also raised about the fate of average-performing students, with fears that without grace marks, many may fail to clear the exam.

Expressing the gravity of the situation, Shakti Kumar, district coordinator of English and a lecturer at Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS), Bharat Nagar, stated, “The exam administered to students today was notably challenging. Lecturers statewide are poised to appeal to the education minister and PSEB, urging them to consider granting at least 5-7 grace marks to safeguard students’ overall percentages.”