Nobody can claim that 100 percent of the candidates are qualified in all the subjects. Picture for representational purposeWith about 5 lakh students and as many parents involved as stakeholders, the SSLC examinations have to be managed with utmost care. This is just one of the many exams held in Kerala. And this has been the subject of controversy before.
Though Kerala is said to be a leader in education among Indian states, when it comes to standards of quality we cannot claim that lead. The government and society focus on the quantity, not quality. How many people take the test? How many passed? How many schools got a 100 percent win rate? How many of them had A-plus grade? All these familiar questions come from our obsession with quantity. We tend to think we would do better if more students pass.
How many of those who has passed SSLC exams can write their names correctly. How many have any comprehension in the subjects they studied in school. How many have a clear understanding of their lives and surroundings. Do any of them possess a value system. Most of the students lament their lack of skills when they move on to higher levels including higher secondary courses.
We need an exact academic calendar to govern teaching, examinations and the declaration of results. Academic events have to happen on a fixed date every year.
We have to put an end to the practice of passing everyone who has taken the exams. There is no point in an exam unless at least 30 percent of candidates fail it. Nobody can claim that 100 percent of the candidates are qualified in all the subjects. Should we waste crores of rupees on the exams and valuation if we are to let everyone pass?
Teachers should be provided with all facilities in the evaluation camps. Each teacher should be responsible for evaluating a fixed number of answer sheets.
Of the total marks, 20 or 10 marks for each paper are given through continuous evaluation by the school where the candidate studied. It is not right to grant all the marks during continuous evaluation. If a student gets 10 marks in continuous evaluation, he only has to score 5 more marks in the written test. He needs to score only 15 marks out of 50. We should also consider raising the pass target for the written test.
SSLC and higher secondary answer sheets should be returned to the candidates after evaluation, to give students and parents an opportunity to assess lapses.
Ministers do not have to declare the results of the SSLC and higher secondary results. Online publication of results is enough. A minister does not declare the results of an exam anywhere in the world. CBSE results are not announced by the Union HR minister. The state Education Minister can show a model by putting an end to the practice of announcing the exam results.
When the minister announces the results, he is assuming responsibility for all the lapses. What needs to be done is to take strict action against erring bureaucrats. We should also utilise the advancements in science and technology.
Disclaimer
The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Manorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.