The Central Board of Secondary Education has always been following a marking system in their class 10 Board examination, i.e. awarding marks to students answer sheets. But with Board exams being made optional from the academic year 2010-11, a new system of evaluation – Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) – based on grades has been approved. It comprises formative and summative assessment of the student to be done over two terms-first and second-during the year-long academic calendar.
Summative Assessment: Based on the term-end examination.
1) There will be two evaluations each in the first and second terms.
2) Each evaluation will carry 10 marks a piece.
Formative Assessment: To evaluate and grade class work, homework, assignment and project work.
1) There will be one term-end exam for each term.
2) The first term-end exam will carry 20 marks.
3) The second term-end exam will carry 40 marks.
So this how the new grading system has been framed for all students, to discontinue the practice of declaring Compartment/Fail. The result of candidates is now declared in two categories: Eligible for qualifying certificate (QUAL) and Eligible for improvement of performance (EIOP). All candidates, even if they have failed in all subjects will now have five chances to improve their performance without having to repeat a year.Students of class IX and X will be evaluated on a 9-point grading system. Each grade, given on the basis of both formative and summative assessments, will correspond to a range of marks as
indicated below:
Marks Range Grade Grade point
91-100 A1 10.0
81-90 A2 9.0
71-80 B1 8.0
61-70 B2 7.0
51-60 C1 6.0
41-50 C2 5.0
31-40 D 4.0
21-30 E1
00-20 E2
Thus this is how the new grading system for class 10 works like. It is a helpful hand for all teachers as well as students and is gradually been accepted by all the other boards as well in next few years. But there are many negative takings from parents and students as well as history-long marking system completely replaced by a grading system is not that easy-to-be-digested. As the mentality of giving exams and getting marks in numbers is a tradition according to which further exams are being assessed in a student’s mind, such is the planning. But a sudden tide changing the whole scenario gives a jerk to this system for the students as well as the parents. They in their childhood had given board exams and got marks but the case with their children is different. Now they have to all together accept and get used to a completely new marking system, as well as all calculations regarding the ‘preparation’ for their first board exams gets messed up and a new system has to be adopted quickly and efficiently.
But every aspect has its positive and negative features. The negative one is all discussed above and the positive one is also there- this grading system helps eradicate the problem of fails, compartments which in the mean time results in several suicide and suicide attempts from students regarding their poor marks. Yes it is a good system in view of this as it helps in maintaining a balanced position for all students and helps the poor ones in studies to improve well and good for their betterment in future. This system has a lot of scopes for each student to develop himself/herself throughout the year to score better grades.
Thus this new grading system of CBSE Board is all balanced and is accepted by students and parents well. It might take a little bit more time to be digested but it is indeed a good decision, at least keeping in mind the betterment of all children.
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