Linking present CBSE students with past performance of ex-students arbitrary: UP Parents Association opposes CBSE policy for Class 12 assessment

Uttar Pradesh Parents Association, Lucknow, has told Supreme Court that the CBSE assessment policy for students of class 12 which links the performance of the present 12th standard students with that of the past years' performance of former students is "wholly arbitrary" and cannot be legally sustained (Mamta Sharma vs CBSE)..The association, therefore, urged the court to scrap para 10 of the Scheme of Assessment Moderation proposed by CBSE, "Such irrational policy of linking the present batch of students with that of past performance of ex-students cannot be legally sustained under any circumstances," an affidavit filed by the association before the top court said. The present batch of students cannot be penalized for the past performance of ex-students, the affidavit said. .The CBSE had scrapped the class 12 board exams in view of COVID-19 pandemic. It had then submitted an assessment policy before the Supreme Court to compute the marks of class 12 students. As per the assessment policy, theory portion of the marks will be done based on 40 percent weightage to class 12 marks, 30 percent for class 11 and 30 percent for class 10.The class 12 component will be based on the marks secured in Unit Test/Mid-Term/Pre-Board Exam.Computation of class 11 theory marks shall be on the basis of year end final theory exam in respective subjects.Computation of class 10 theory marks shall be based on average theory marks obtained by the student in best three performing subjects out of main 5 subjects. This average will be uniformly awarded to all the class 12 subjects based on theory weightage.Further, students who are not satisfied with the assessment, done based on the policy will be given an opportunity to appear in examinations to be conducted by the board when conditions are conducive for holding the examinations. As per this policy, marks scored in later examination will be considered as final. Indian Certificate of Secondary Education has also proposed a scheme to compute marks based on performance of students in the last 6 years."We have taken marks from class 10 board, project and practical works, performance in school examination and we have taken the best marks. We have taken average from past six years and not three years like CBSE," counsel for CBSE had told the Supreme Court.The Supreme Court had given-in principle approval to the policies proposed by both CBSE and ICSE. .[Class 12 assessment] CBSE proposes calculation of marks based on performance in classes 10, 11, 12; ICSE to compute based on past 6 years .The affidavit submitted by the association in response to the CBSE policy, said that as per the proposed policy, the total of 30% from 10th and 11th and 40% from 12th shall not exceed the best marks obtained by ex-students in the said school in the specific reference year by more than 2 marks. .That is, if a present student scores 95% in 10th, 11th and pre-board of 12th in any subject but if in past the maximum obtained by a student in that school is 76, then the maximum which the 95% scoring student will get is 76% plus 2% grace, bringing it to only 78%..The reply further highlighted that the option for external examination is only for students who could not do well in internal assessment. This option to appear in external exam, the association contended, should be given at the very initial stage and both student and school should have option to either opt for external or internal assessment. "If any school does not want to go for this internal assessment then a date may be fixed for external examination in mid-July or any date found conducive for holding examination," the affidavit said. .It also stated that the policy of internal assessment should be uniform in both CBSE and ICSE boards. "There is practically no scheme of internal assessment envisaged by ICSE. There are only few letters to that effect. There are various variables which are not defined like weightage for board exams is not defined anywhere," said the UP parents body reply. .The parents body has also urged the Supreme Court to state that the central board may continue the process of internal assessment but if COVID situation improves then liberty be given to the boards to hold an examination. .A Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheswhari will consider this affidavit tomorrow..Senior Advocate Vikas Singh will be arguing for the parents body.