New Education Policy: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently made a significant announcement that is crucial for Class 10 students. From now on, students will have the opportunity to take their board exams twice a year instead of just once. Under this new rule, students can choose to keep the higher score from their two attempts. Let’s delve into the details of this groundbreaking decision.
Why This New Rule?
The primary goal of this change is to reduce the immense pressure that exams place on students. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Pariksha Pe Charcha” initiative, the Ministry of Education has taken this step with the mental well-being of young people in mind. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan mentioned that often, a student’s entire year was wasted if a single exam went poorly due to illness or other personal reasons. With this new system, they will get a second chance, and their best performance will be the one that counts.
How Will the System Work?
This system is quite similar to the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). Students will be able to appear for the Class 10 board exams twice annually. The score from the exam in which they perform better will be considered their final score. This means that if a student doesn’t perform well in the first attempt, they will have an opportunity to improve their result in the second. According to Minister Pradhan, this system is entirely student-centric and designed for their benefit and convenience.
Teacher and Infrastructure Readiness
When asked about the availability of adequate teachers and infrastructure to conduct board exams twice a year, the Education Minister confidently stated that India’s education system, particularly the school education sector, is fully capable of managing this responsibility. He pointed out that with over 60 school boards across the country, their competence is not in question. Therefore, he assured that there would be no issues in conducting the exams twice a year.
National Education Policy & The Three-Language Formula
The Education Minister also clarified that no language would be imposed on any state under the National Education Policy. The three-language formula was already in place and is followed in almost all states except Tamil Nadu. He dismissed the opposition’s concerns as politically motivated and explained that the only modification to the formula in the new policy is that two of the three languages learned must be native to India. Students and schools will have the freedom to choose the languages.
The decision to conduct Class 10 board exams twice a year is undoubtedly a historic step. It will allow students to focus on their studies with less mental stress and provide them with a second opportunity to perform at their best. This new system is expected to make the Indian education system more modern and centered around the needs of the students.
