CBSE Finds Variation Between Theory, Practical Marks; Issues Advisory To Schools

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued an advisory for schools to carry out meticulous assessment during practical examinations in schools.  The directive is aimed to ensure that a more robust, transparent, and reliable mechanism is followed for the assessment process in the exams.

The decision comes as the board found significant variation in the marks of 50 per cent students in over 500 schools. The variation of the marks was seen in theory and practical subjects. Following this, the board directed the schools to review their internal assessment procedures.

News agency PTI has noted that the schools have been advised to prioritise fairness and accuracy in assessing practical examinations and ensuring the process is realistic and adds substantial value to students’ academic journey.

“The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has detected, through advanced AI tools, a significant variation between theory and practical marks in certain subjects among 50 per cent or more students in about 500 CBSE-affiliated schools, based on past years’ result statistics,” PTI quoted CBSE secretary Himanshu Gupta.

“This variance highlights a need for meticulous assessment during practical examinations in schools. Consequently, the Board has issued an advisory to such schools to review their internal assessment procedures,” he added.

“This advisory serves as a reminder to prioritize fairness and accuracy in assessing practical examinations, thereby enhancing the quality of education imparted in CBSE-affiliated institutions,” he said.

The board had recently also announced a modification to its class size limitations, aiming to better accommodate students joining mid-year and those needing to repeat a grade.

Schools can now have up to 45 students per section for mid-year admissions due to parental transfers and students requiring an essential repeat.