Wary CBSE students opt for board exams

The Central Board of Secondary Education has started sending their schools the option forms, asking them for the number of students who will appear for the board exams and those who will sit for the internal tests for the March 2012 board exams. A couple of schools, which have already compiled the numbers, claimed that close to 90% students have opted for the board exams as they do not want to take any chance. Other schools also feel that the number of students opting for school tests will be much less than those in the 2011 batch. Most children are not keen on the school-based tests as that would not allow them to take admission to any junior college in the state; they will have no other option but to continue studying Stds XI and XII in the same school.

CBSE students taking the internal exams are not allowed to take admission to any junior college in the state. In this session, only in a last-minute consideration, the government allowed them to take part in the offline system, after the online process got over. As a result, many meritorious students lost out on seats in prestigious colleges. The government also clarified that the "school" students would not be shown any such consideration next time.

Principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya Deepshikha Srivastava said, "In the last batch, we had almost 60% of our class taking the school exam. This year, of the 120 children, only about 15 plan to take the school-based tests. The students do not want to take chance as by appearing for the board exams, they will have both the options open, either to study plus-2 in our school or get a seat in a junior college." A student of the school moved the court against the government early this year after those who took the internal exams were denied admission to junior colleges.

Even principal of DPS School, Nerul, P C Chhabra said around 90% of their students wanted to take the board exams. "In 2011, we had a 50-50 mix of students taking the internal and the external exams. This year, the scene is different. I believe students should take the board exams to keep their options open," said Chhabra.

Not all schools, such as Kendriya Vidyalaya in Powai, have received the circular yet but they also think more students will go for the board exams than last year. Principal Cherian George said, "We have conducted a check and found that 60% of the children are interested in school examsHowever, these are tentative figures and the number is sure to go up, once the students start filling the forms

," said George. In 2011, of the 181 students there, only 18 sat for the board exams and the remaining, which came to 90%, took the school tests. Concurring with George, principal of R N Podar School in Santa Cruz Avnita Bir said, "There will be a dip in the students taking the internal tests."

Some teachers also feel that the students may go for a last minute change of decision. "If they appear for the school exam, they will not be allowed to take admissions to junior colleges in the state. But, if they want to continue in their own schools, they can do so. So many parents want their students to write the board exams," added the principal.