The decision by the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to introduce the option of appearing for class 10 and 12 board exams twice a year and making it non-mandatory comes with the aim of reducing stress among students.
Although it could have its advantages and disadvantages, it still is a great idea to help students breathe a lot more freely and have a double opportunity to answer their board exams as against a single one.
In Goa, I have noticed more than the teaching in the school, learning actually takes place at tuition centres, which is not a sound practice. Students need to understand what they are learning rather than just do rote learning from A to Z.
The reduced exam pressure due to exams being held twice a year will, perhaps, be a breather for teachers as well as students. Students might experience reduced pressure as they would have more opportunities to perform better. They can also learn from mistakes made in the first attempt and improve themselves in the second.
Students might experience reduced pressure as they would have more opportunities to perform better. They can also learn from mistakes made in the first attempt and improve themselves in the second.
This idea of twice a year examination introduces the concept of ‘second chances’ which is very important and needs to be instilled in the minds of today’s youngsters. Many consider that it is the end of the world when they don’t fare well in a given examination or a task.
But that is not the case, there is always a second chance or rather there is a more important task ahead of the examination in which one may have not performed well or a task that one may not have excelled in.
More chances to appear for exams could lead to improved overall performance. Students who might have underperformed due to various reasons in one exam might do better in the subsequent attempt.
Given this second opportunity, many who failed in the first may find a ray of hope in the second, so, instead of being discouraged and giving up, students will have a chance to consequentially do better. Also, I believe that there will be fewer dropouts due to this quite favourable possibility.
More chances to appear for exams could lead to improved overall performance. Also, there will be fewer dropouts due to this quite favourable possibility.
Students who are not prepared or face personal issues during one exam session can opt for the next session, providing them with the flexibility to perform better when they are ready.
With less emphasis on a single exam, students might also have more time for holistic development. They can participate in extracurricular activities, sports, or other areas of interest without the fear of impacting their performance in a single crucial exam.
Knowing that exams are not mandatory might reduce stress levels among students. Fear of failure in a single exam often causes significant stress, affecting mental and physical health. Other than these advantages there could be situations, where, this golden chance could be misused.
If exams are not mandatory, there could be students who might not take them seriously, leading to a decline in overall educational standards. The motivation to perform well might diminish.
If exams are not mandatory, there could be students who might not take them seriously, leading to a decline in overall educational standards.
Without a stringent evaluation system, the quality of education might suffer. Schools and teachers might not be as focused on delivering quality education if exams are not mandatory. Many colleges and universities rely on board exam scores for admissions.
If exams are not mandatory or held frequently, it could create complications in the admission process. Some students might not take exams seriously and appear without adequate preparation, leading to poor results. This lack of preparedness could affect their future prospects.
Board exams serve as a standard measure of a student’s knowledge. If exams are not mandatory or held frequently, it could lead to a lack of standardization in the education system. I truly believe that it is time for us to understand that we need to change the evaluation system.
Rather than depending too much on board exams, we need to create a more inclusive evaluation programme that will benefit all students and not just those capable of learning concepts and ideas by heart.
Rather than depending too much on board exams, we need to create a more inclusive evaluation programme that will benefit all students
While making board exams twice a year and not mandatory could alleviate some of the stress and pressure on students, it needs to be balanced with maintaining the seriousness and standard of education.
It’s crucial to ensure that the education system continues to motivate students to excel while providing them with the necessary support and opportunities for growth.
Students will excel if their evaluation system gives them an opportunity to use their brains creatively rather than just a single method of learning and vomiting it out on paper.
The change in the evaluation system is sure to be a better stress buster in comparison to making examinations twice a year or not mandatory. The change in the evaluation system would also directly or indirectly address another issue that the Union Education Minister addressed i.e. dummy schools.
These dummy schools only add to the stress and lead to isolation in students, thus, a change in the evaluation system could put the onus onto the student to think creatively and understand what one is learning and improve their standard and prepare them well to face the future, rather than getting adjusted to dummy school system and its involved stress.
