Education dept to put govt school students to test for career guidance

The reason for selecting Class VII cited by department officials, is that it is an apt age for evaluating the understanding of a subject by students as well as a right base to prepare students for higher studies. It is believed that this will generate healthy competition among students and teachers as well as send a message to the community that even government schools are making efforts for better performance and future of students.

“Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, there is a provision for no examination till Class VIII and it has been our analysis that if this test is introduced in Class VII, it will certainly help to improve results till Class XII. The idea behind this test is to not to demotivate students by evaluating them and putting them under various categories through marks or grades but to encourage them in areas where they are lacking and need help,” said joint director secondary education E P Desai who is working on this project.

While good scorers would be given merit certificates, mark sheets of this test would also be sent to all schools and School Management Committees (SMCs). The data of all students would be maintained at school, village, taluka, block and district level for comparison and analysis. “It is also an attempt to motivate government schools in ‘hard to reach’ areas like tribal pockets, slums and other scattered areas,” added Desai.