Monday, February 22, 2010
CAT 2009 results deferred to end of February
Saturday, February 6, 2010
CBSE to set questions for Class-IX exam
After making the Class-X board examination optional from next year, the CBSE has decided to set questions for Class-IX test, presently being conducted by affiliated schools, to bring uniformity in the system and
ensure better assessment of students. To have standardisation in examination system, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has designed the question papers for examination in Class-IX.
The CBSE has already introduced Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluations (CCE), a system of school-based evaluation of students at Class-IX, covering all aspects of pupils’ development. The CCE covers co-curricular activities, besides core areas of subjects being studied in the classes. The CCE has two components — formative assessment and summative assessment.
While the formative assessment is based on whole range of tests like interview, quiz, project work and practical assignments, the summative assessment is a six-monthly exam which aims at testing subject specific knowledge of students. The CBSE has issued a circular to principals of its affiliated schools, stating that it is in the process of sending the question papers to them for holding the summative test at Class-IX.
"Depending upon the feedback and suggestions from stakeholders, the Board will have a re-look at this policy in future, if need be," the circular said. The Summative Assessment will be based on the syllabus. It will be a pen-paper test to be conducted by schools. In order to cater to the difference in the pace at which students respond to questions, schools will give flexible timing to students for attempting the questions. This could range between three and three-and-a-half hours.
Evaluation of answer scripts will be done by school teachers themselves on the basis of the Marking Scheme provided by the Board, the circular said. The board will provide question paper banks for English Communicative, English Language and Literature, Hindi-A, Hindi-B, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and Communicative Sanskrit.
In respect of other subjects, the schools will administer their own question paper based on the sample question paper available on the CBSE’s website. The board will send CDs, containing a number of question papers. The schools should conduct the examination in all subjects for Class IX using these question papers between last week of February and last week of March.
