After roll out of National Education Policy; Board Exams for Class 10th 12th should be discontinued: Manish Sisodia

Delhi's Education Minister Manish Sisodia has suggested that after the full roll-out of NEP, class 10 and 12 board exam should also discontinue. The existing board exams made sense in the 10+2 model but not in 5+3+3+4. 

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has suggested that after the roll-out of the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the board exams for Class 10th and 12th should be discontinued. He further recommended that the government must introduce multi-year stage-wise classes and external assessments at the end of each stage. He made the recommendations during the 57th General Council Meeting of the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) chaired by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' and attended by state education ministers.

Manish Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education Minister, pointed out that the '5+3+3+4' model recommended in the NEP can attain its full potential if the existing one year per grade system is removed. "It means, instead of an existing class system where all children of a class move together in all subjects despite being at different learning levels, the multi-year stage will help children move as per their learning need in different subjects at their own pace. A stage-wise curriculum with a clearly stated learning goal in terms of knowledge, skills and values be created," he said.

"Going by the logic of the stage, after the full roll-out of NEP, class 10 and 12 board exam should also discontinue. The existing board exams made sense in the 10+2 model but not in 5+3+3+4. Retaining two board exams in one last stage will dilute the significance of the first three stages in the school life of children," the Minister further added.

He noted that when the mandate of the National Testing Agency (NTA) is to conduct entrance exams for admissions in higher education institutions, there is no need for class 12 board exams.

"Hence, the class 12 board exam should not be a high stake exam anymore. It is about time that we introduce multi-year stage-wise classes and external assessment at the end of each stage replacing the existing year-wise classes and two board exams in class 10 and 12," Mr Sisodia said.

”Transformation should be holistic and not piecemeal. Instead of an existing class system where all children of a class move together in all subjects despite being at different learning levels, multi-year stage will help the child move as per their learning need in different subjects at their own pace. We recommend a stage-wise curriculum with a clearly stated learning goal in terms of knowledge, skills and values," Mr Sisodia added.

On July 29, the Cabinet had given its nod to National Education Policy 2020, five years after the first committee to draft NEP was constituted. The NEP 2020 was drafted by a committee chaired by the scientist, K Kasturirangan. The Cabinet approved the NEP, that replaces the 34 -year-old National Policy on Education framed in 1986 and is aimed at paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global knowledge superpower.

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