By: Fatima Hasan
There are few memes that are going viral on What’sApp and Instagram about the 10th Class and Intermediate results being declared without conducting exams. “Passed Exams like a boss” is one of the many memes making rounds. When compared to the previous years, the pass percentage of SSC students in Telangana in 2020 and now in 2021 is much higher and even the below average students scored cent percent. 5,21,073 students who were registered for the 10th class examinations have passed this year. A 10/10 GPA was secured by 2,10,647 students, which is clearly unjust.
“In the name of the Pandemic, we can’t spoil the future of students. If the State is cancelling the exam then does it mean that we are promoting the students. The framers of education policy should know this. And this is not acceptable at all. It is mockery of education system. There has to be some formula to send these students to 11th class. Are you thinking of promoting them without an exam? God save the education system of the country. This is the only main examination and the last one of their schooling,” the judges of Bombay High Court orally said while hearing the PILs against Maharashtra government’s cancellation of exams.
When the entrance exams or select exams (competitive exams for recruitment) can’t be cancelled, then why is that the 10th exams are cancelled. If students’ final year degree exam is there, then why are the 10th or Intermediate board exams not conducted. Why is 10th or Intermediate board exam treated lesser to that of degree. Tenth exams are the final exams of schooling period and enable awarding of the school certificate. The whole idea of exams will be defeated. Things that cannot be stopped should not be stopped. Board exams are important and the concept will be violated if marks are awarded without tests.
There can be marks awarding mechanism in place – but when we see the results, it tells a different story. An average student who has scored less than 50 marks is now passed with 95 percent or so. On what basis are the marks awarded or what purpose do these marks serve. The 10th Class results are crucial and serve as the basis for selection for the 11th and 12th class (Intermediate). And when one goes for a job interview, his 10th certificate, Intermediate certificate and degree and/or post- graduation certificates are evaluated first. So what will these students do? When the government says that it is a natural calamity and that everyone should co-operate, then it is a natural calamity – the students of these important classes can wait. A little delay will not amount to loss of academic year.
Random comments on the results
“I acknowledge the fact that this is clearly injustice to the studious students as the average students are also passing and scoring high at the expense of this marking system. But I support it and I wish I was also a student of 2020 or 2021 10th Class batch,, says Mudassir Shaik, final year engineering student of a private engineering college. .
“I’m happy but no, I’m not that satisfied with my son’s results. He got 8.9 and I don’t think he would have got the same if the exams were conducted. Many of his friends who were average students like him also got nice GPA. I wish the students were assessed on their capacity by way of exams and not without examinations. Now, I wish he maintains the same GPA in further studies and high performance,” says Padma, a parent of a private school student in Santoshnagar.
“Many of my students literally cried after seeing their results. They got good marks and above 90 only but also equivalent to the other average performing students. There is no competition left. This is the second time in row that my students are not satisfied. I know it is the need but they could have conducted exams by allowing 25 percent to write per day and so. Tenth memo is very much important and even when I go for interview I show the tenth certificate too,” says a teacher of a private school on condition of anonymity.
“I got 10 on 10. I was preparing day and night but all the exams were not conducted. The offline classes are not comfortable too. I’m just an above average student and I’m very much happy with the marks. As soon as the results came, I did throw away my books,” says Rayasam Vishwanth, student of 10th class at a corporate school at Secunderabad.
“We only follow the government orders and the current situation is very much appalling. Last year at least in the month of February, the assessments were conducted. This time the whole academic year went on online and it had its own issues. So this is not the right way to give marks but the health emergency is world-wide and it cannot be denied,” says a head master on the condition of anonymity.
These examinations are very important and now at least the government should be prepared for alternatives and safety measures in future. The High Court and the Supreme Court should intervene as this is a right of students to appear for exams and be allowed for the same. Currently Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Maharastra, CBSE, ICSE , JKBOSE have cancelled the exams.
(eom)
