Board Exams To Be Held Twice A Year, Class 11-12 Students To Study At Least 1 Indian Language: Education Ministry Lays Down Framework For NEP

Today the Ministry of Education's New Curriculum Framework was announced, board exams will be held twice annually, offering students the choice to retain their best results. The emphasis is on making these exams more approachable rather than high-pressure. The framework also urges boards to build the capability for conducting on-demand exams in the future. The New Curriculum Framework (NCF) document also highlights the need to eliminate rigid divisions between Arts and Sciences, curricular and extracurricular activities, and vocational and academic pathways.

To ensure students have ample time to perform well, board exams should be available at least biannually. This approach enables students to appear for exams in subjects they have completed and feel prepared for. This transition can be facilitated by developing a comprehensive test item bank and utilizing appropriate software to create tests. This move aligns with the vision of on-demand exams outlined in NEP 2020, as stated in the NCF document.

The Ministry of Education envisions a shift towards semester or term-based systems in the long run. This change would allow students to test in subjects immediately upon completion, thus reducing the content burden assessed in any single exam. However, it's important to note that this is not the first endeavor to reform board exams.

The Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has announced that the new curriculum framework (NCF), in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has been finalized.

The Ministry of Education's new curriculum framework introduces several measures for board exam enhancements. Test developers and evaluators are required to undertake university-certified courses prior to assuming their roles. The framework also emphasizes that school boards should prepare for conducting 'on-demand' exams over time. Additionally, the conventional practice of strictly adhering to textbooks within classrooms will be replaced, aiming to optimize textbook costs as per the new curriculum framework by the MoE.

What is NEP?

Implemented in the academic year 2023-2024, the National Education Policy (NEP) introduced by the Central government in 2020 has ushered in a series of transformations. Ranging from curriculum enhancements to adjustments in grading structures, underscored by fundamental shifts in the functioning of the Indian Education System, it is apparent that the NEP aims to both disrupt and revolutionize the existing framework.

As the NEP holds the potential to transform Indian education, its implications for the numerous students in the midst of these changes are worth exploring. With dedicated and consistent implementation of the mentioned alterations, there is a strong possibility of witnessing substantial reforms in how the younger generation understands and engages with the educational system.

Protest against the NEP introduction

A total of eight states not governed by the BJP have yet to finalize their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L) for the implementation of the PM SHRI Schools scheme, which falls under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. According to government sources cited by ETV Bharat, 30 states and Union Territories, including entities like Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) and Navodaya Vidyalaya Sangathan (NVS), have already signed the MoU and commenced the selection process.

Besides Karnataka and Kerala, other states like Tamil Nadu, which opposes NEET and the NEP, has its Chief Minister Stalin expressing dissent, particularly against the policy's three-language approach and prioritization of Sanskrit over regional languages. Similarly, West Bengal has chosen to create its own educational policy that both incorporates and discards portions of NEP. This unique draft underscores their refusal to adopt the 5+3+3+4 structure, partly due to resistance against eliminating the Class X board.

Himachal Pradesh, while being the pioneer to embrace NEP, has encountered implementation issues, including faculty shortages and ambiguity around various courses. Bihar, citing insufficient infrastructure, has postponed immediate NEP implementation, while Uttar Pradesh has adopted revised NCERT books featuring a 'rationalized' syllabus.