History, Physics marks cause heartburn

NEW DELHI, June 9: Fingers ran up and down the Class XII result lists. There was no pushing and shoving, just a methodical long look at the ...

NEW DELHI, June 9: Fingers ran up and down the Class XII result lists. There was no pushing and shoving, just a methodical long look at the final statement of 12 years of schooling. Calculators were busy with aggregate percentage being worked out and quick calculations on the possibility of getting into the college of one8217;s choice.

There was hope and despair as parents and teachers kept a watchful eye on the students 8212; saying an encouraging word, keeping spirits up. Principals, teachers, CBSE officials, are all satisfied with the results. But students are unhappy with the general decline in the results. There is discontent regarding overall performance and in some cases complete denial.

8220;I could not have done this bad8221; is the first reaction of most students. Even 90-percentors8217; are unhappy with their marks in one subject or the other. 8220;English marks are always a surprise,8221; says a teacher of Modern School, Barakhamba Road. 8220;Students who have a good command over the language tend to get less marks than other average students. This happens every year and is a difficult thing to explain to students.8221;

Humanities students were not satisfied with History results, while Science students revived the complain of a 8220;tough Physics8221; paper. Helplines were flooded with distress calls, indicating that students have not been able to cope with the pressure of the annual board examinations.

The percentage of suicidal calls has gone up by around 20 per cent. And it is not just students who have failed or got a compartment who are calling. Even those with aggregates over 80 are calling in to say that they have not lived up to the expectations of their parents.

Seema Taneja, a CBSE counsellor, adds: 8220;The previous calls were based on speculation. Now students are calling in with their marks and asking for specific career options. There have been a few calls where the students were highly distressed.8221;

Another indication of the discontent was the growing number of students queuing up to fill in forms for re-checking. 8220;I have always scored over 80 per cent. I just cannot get 65 per cent. The CBSE councillors I spoke to told me that it all depends on luck,8221; says Kanu Goyal, a student of Hansraj Model school. 8220;I don8217;t trust the re-checking system but have no choice left.8221;

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While regular students sat and analysed their performance, private candidates ran around just trying to get their marks. 8220;We were told that our marks would be available at our examination centres,8221; says Gaurav Tandon. 8220;I went to there in the morning and was told that the results would be available at the CBSE office. Now they tell me to go to my centres. It is three in the afternoon and I still don8217;t know whether I have passed or failed.8221;

The students gathered outside CBSE chairman Khandelwal8217;s office, only to be informed that they should get back to their centres. Helpless students just hung around, waiting and hoping that the tiresome wait for the results would end soon.