India has an issue with suicide among students and the reason being examination pressures by parents and teachers. Students aren’t provided an environment to score their potential, because of the stress factor. Also, they are not being tested for their intelligence, but for their memory with the methods of assessments.

Students can be motivated towards developing their interest by incorporating technology into lessons since mere textbook knowledge cannot enlighten today’s students. Topics would be a lot more interesting if teachers can try to link them to everyday life. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has published its new assessment scheme, which will be adopted this year with the below drastic changes.

Previously, the semester system included project work, research work and presentations. Also, grade upscaling on the basis of co-scholastic activities. Now, yearly board examinations will take place at the end of the year with the exam weighing a maximum of 80 grade points. There will be no grade upscaling based on co-scholastic activities.

CBSE believes that these changes will make students more prepared for higher grades. But isn’t it going to be a risk for 10th graders since they have not practised the old system?

Mathematics and science are given the highest importance while other subjects are given low importance. This is unfair, because we need talent in all fields in order to be pioneers in a better society. CBSE students are not able to apply their theoretical knowledge and apply concepts when competing with international students who have a lot of practical knowledge.

It would be ideal if CBSE would introduce this change from grade eight, so that the students can practise well in this system and method of assessment and get accustomed to these assessment patterns. The long term permanent solution would be the establishment of a more apt syllabus, which is framed according to the psychology of students, practical methods of learning and an introduction to a better and efficient system.

- The reader is a student based in Dubai.