Pupils have stress-free test on first day of Indian board exam

Abu Dhabi: Many of the pupils who appeared for the first exam for grade 12 of the Central Board of Secondary Education said it was stress-free and easier than expected.

"I finished it 40 minutes before the closing time," said Ram Kumar Ramesh, of the Abu Dhabi Indian School. He said he and his friends were a bit scared of a Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announcement that 20 per cent questions would be of "high order thinking".

"But almost all the questions were straight from the textbook so there was no tension at all," said Ram.

Ryan Was from the same school said he finished the exam half an hour before closing time. "A reading time of 15 minutes was really helpful to start the exam comfortably," said Was.

S.K. Nangia, in-charge of Educational Affairs at the Indian Embassy, told Gulf News the exam went smoothly and there was no excessive stress among the pupils. "More than 400 pupils attended the chemistry and marketing exams in four centres Abu Dhabi emirate."

"Invigilators and supervisors had been advised to take a supportive approach to avoid stress among pupils," said Mohsin K, principal of the Indian Islahi Isalmic School.

About 120 pupils from schools in Al Ain who attended the exam were happy and no excessive stress among pupils was reported, said Neelam Upadyay, principal of the school.

Do you support this new move to provide pre-reading time? Do you think this would help? What has been your most memorable exam experience? What measures did you take to de-stress before writing a crucial exam?

Forum: Regional issues

Curriculum design and education technology are the keys to raising school performance, educationists from across the region agreed at a forum.

The forum on secondary education was hosted by the University of Cambridge International Examinations, RM Education plc, and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

Delegates from 11 countries debated key issues of the region.

- By Siham Al Najami, Staff Reporter