A large part of our academic life is spent inside the examination hall. With the Board examination results out, it is important to discuss what impact it has on students and what importance these examinations and the results hold. Examinations largely reflect upon the kind of education system we follow, its history, and what changes there might be in the future.
IMPORTANCE OF EXAMS
There is a purpose why exams were conducted in the first place. They play a very important role in assessing the students’ learning in schools and universities if conducted efficiently. It also helps assess how the students think in their own individual manner. As it is said, a students’ answer sheet can reveal a lot about their minds, therefore, helping the teachers to understand them and accordingly adjust their way of teaching. They’re able to identify their strengths and weaknesses and understand where they require more attention.
HISTORY AND REFORMS Examinations were first instituted in India with the establishment of Universities of Calcutta, Madras and Bombay in 1857, and have faced criticism since. Their effectiveness, the purposes they serve, and their relevance, have remained a controversial issue. Most examination reforms in India have been made in the secondary level of education, whose effects have percolated down to the primary level as well as influenced the university level. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was established in 1961 as a part of the reforms. Additionally, vocational content has been introduced into the higher secondary education level (classes XI and XII), so that students are not forced into the academic channel alone, also increasing students’ employability. One of the most recent changes that CBSE inculcated was the replacement of the word ‘fail’ with ‘essential repeat’ in students’ marksheets. This change in nomenclature may not seem like a big move, but it does avoid a negative impact on the student’s psyche and mental health. Students face tremendous pressure in class 10 and class 12 to perform well in the CBSE exam. The Board believes that when it comes to results, students do get affected seeing words like failed or compartmental in their Board exam marksheets, and therefore the change.
EXISTING SHORTCOMINGS AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS
The most prominent shortcomings of the current examination pattern are –
- Emphasis on memorisation in all written and oral examinations, to such an extent that more important objectives like understanding and application of knowledge and skills are overlooked.
Suggested Solution: Instead of rewarding the examinee for rote learning, the emphasis should be shifted to identification and definition of instructional objectives for the subject in question, giving proportionate weights to each of these instructional objectives in preparation for framing questions which will test states of progress towards the objectives, and framing questions of different forms which are most suitable for testing the abilities associated with the particular instructional objective. - There is a lot of subjectivity involved: The person who sets the paper, the examinee, and the person who evaluates the answer books are three very different people with their own understanding and opinions. This is a huge drawback to the board examination system. Suggested Solution: The existing examination agency must develop a specific design for question papers, and the same must be clearly communicated to the question paper setter. Additionally, at least some questions must be objective, short answer type questions. Also, a scoring key and a detailed marking scheme must be developed by the paper setter himself.
- Ineffective content coverage in the questions papers encourages selective learning on part of the students and selective teaching on part of the teachers.
Suggested Solution: Major areas of content must be clearly defined, and be proportionally included in the question papers.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it can be observed that we have come a long way in the reformation of our education system, but there is still an even longer way to go. As a society, we can try and eliminate the above-mentioned shortcomings, implement effective solutions in order to create a better learning space for students, who can grow up to be assets to the nation.
Written by: Deepali
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