CBSE warns schools against violating Class 10 assessment policy

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday asked all its affiliated schools to stick to the assessment policy formulated by it for Class 10 results after the cancellation of the board exams, and warned action against institutes that inflate marks

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday asked all its affiliated schools to stick to the assessment policy formulated by it for Class 10 results after the cancellation of the board exams, and warned action against institutes that inflate marks.

CBSE warns schools against violating Class 10 assessment policy

CBSE cancelled the board exams for classes 10 and 12 this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and formulated alternative assessment policies for both classes. For Class 10, results will be tabulated based on students’ performances in unit tests, half-yearly examinations, and pre-board examinations conducted by schools. The board, however, said each school should watch against “inflation of marks”, and award scores in line with its best performance in Class 10 in the last three academic years -- 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20. The selected year of the previous three, in which the overall pass percentage was the highest, will be the reference year for the schools, and the average marks of the school for 2021 should not exceed the school’s overall average in the reference year.

In a letter addressed to all its affiliated schools on Tuesday, CBSE’s controller of examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj said: “Upon data analysis post uploading of marks by schools, it has been observed that while the majority of schools have followed the reference distribution, some schools have not done the same and bunched the marks in upper brackets of the given reference range. For instance, instead of distributing theory marks in the 70-80 range (as per reference year), marks have been bunched between the 77-80 range… This is unfair to the few actually deserving candidates, whose performance will fall in this range of marks.”

Directing all such schools to comply with the tabulation policy, CBSE has given a final opportunity to all “defaulter schools”.

“All defaulter schools who have not complied with the policy in its true spirit, and awarded marks to students on higher side are being given an opportunity to re-look the marks and redo moderation in accordance with historical performance and given reference range. Besides this, few schools have still not uploaded marks despite many extensions of the last date. Such schools are also being given the last opportunity to upload marks. In case it is observed that the schools do not follow the directions, CBSE, before preparation of result, will moderate the marks to bring the awarded marks as per policy and also initiate action against the schools,” the letter said.

Schools can make changes in the online portal, which will remain open between Tuesday and Saturday. “It is also informed that the changes made by the schools in data will be recorded by CBSE. If it is observed that policy has not been followed, CBSE may initiate action against such schools as stipulated in the policy,” the letter added.

Some schools, however, said that the CBSE’s formula in terms of reference year was “confusing”.

“Due to the complete closure of schools, all internal exams were held in the online mode. The majority of the students have scored marks higher than the reference year set by the CBSE and that’s why it’s happening. Still, schools are trying to do their best in computing the scores,” said the principal of a private school in west Delhi who asked not to be named.