MSCERT: Special books for Class IX ‘under-performers’

Maximum marks awarded for the exams were 50 each. Of the 1,452 schools in which the examinations were conducted,the strength of Class IX students was 94,530. The number of students who appeared for the exam include 74,127 students for Marathi,74,437 for English and 73,479 for mathematics. The number of students who scored 16 or less in the exam were 22,375 in Marathi,24,247 in English and 46,888 in mathematics. Students who scored between 35 and 50 marks were given grade A,between 17 and 34 marks was grade B and between 0 and 16 marks was grade C. Around 40 per cent students scored less than 16 marks out of 50.

Around 12 teachers were called to examine the result of the students. “This helped us to understand the units most students didn’t attempt. Based on this,the syllabi for the new books were prepared,” said Ramesh Chavan,lecturer,and head of MSCERT’s RSMA.

“The teachers also went to sample schools and interacted with students,teachers and guardians to understand the root cause. The books have been named Vidyarthi Mitra (friends of students),” said Chavan.

The books are based on constructive and activity-based learning. The students who had scored less than 35 per cent marks in the baseline test will have to attend extra classes that will be arranged before or after the school hours,” Chavan said.

“The state-level training was completed in October. District-level training for teachers will end in November. We now await the budget approval for the text books to be produced on mass scale and training programmes for teachers. Only after students understand the concepts,will they be able to perform well,” said Chavan.