Smiles on board as minister Sibal writes off Class X Boards

“CBSE already has a five-point grading system till Class VIII but with the introduction of grading for classes IX and X,it will be more intense and exhaustive,” St Mary’s School,Safdarjung,principal Annie Koshy said.

Taking over from the Board exams will be a nine-point scale ranging from A1 to E2: A1 will be awarded to students who get between 91 per cent and 100 per cent,while E2 will be awarded to those securing 21 to 32 marks.

The good news? “No child will be failed under the new grading system,” Koshy said.

But there will be continuous,comprehensive evaluation under the grading system. “There will be two terms in a year,and there will be two formative assessments — one formative assessment in each term,” said Ameeta Wattal,principal pf Springdales School,Pusa Road. “In formative assessment a child will be assessed on the basis of quizzes,projects and homework.”

This,she said,would “help cater to the needs of all learning abilities”.

Calling it a “welcome step”,Wattal said,“All sorts of activities,like life skills,social skills,games,sports,thinking ability,will be included in this.”

Apeejay School,Pitampura,principal D K Bedi also welcomed the grading system. “It is not easy to assess children on the basis of a three-hour paper,” he said. “Comprehensive continuous evaluation will ensure that learning becomes a process,not just a goal.”

Bedi said Class X Boards “unnecessarily” put both students and their parents under stress.

Tagore International School principal Suman Nath said,“Students can now take part in other activities and not just focus on academics.”

Nath said continuous comprehensive evaluation will discourage learning by rote and promote in-depth knowledge of a subject. “Teachers will have to work very hard but this is a good step,” she said.

“Needs of the system have changed,and we will have to change accordingly.”

Most parents also sounded optimistic.

Details of the grading system are expected to be finalised soon by a high-level committee headed by CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi.