ARE BOARD EXAMS IN 5th and 8th GRADE NECESSARY?
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- Ankita S Gaba
The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) passed a regulation wherein the
students of Classes V and VIII will have to appear for board exams from the next academic
year in addition to the ones held in Classes X and XII. The decision was met with a lot of
criticism as soon as it was announced.
Sanskrit, Yoga and Performing Arts were also added as compulsory subjects which will
ensure that the students not only focus on academics and core subjects in particular, but also
take up other courses which interests them. Though the objection of the parents is justified as it will just add stress among children,
the objective which the Board had in mind cannot be overlooked. One of the major objective of the Board with regard to this move was to ensure
uniform quality in education across all the schools in the country.
The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) passed a regulation wherein the
students of Classes V and VIII will have to appear for board exams from the next academic
year in addition to the ones held in Classes X and XII. The decision was met with a lot of
criticism as soon as it was announced.
Sanskrit, Yoga and Performing Arts were also added as compulsory subjects which will
ensure that the students not only focus on academics and core subjects in particular, but also
take up other courses which interests them. Though the objection of the parents is justified as it will just add stress among children,
the objective which the Board had in mind cannot be overlooked. One of the major objective of the Board with regard to this move was to ensure
uniform quality in education across all the schools in the country.
When the papers come from a Central Board, the schools will ensure to maximize the
quality of education they provide. The answer scripts of the students of one school are to
be evaluated by the teachers of another school while will ensure that they are not biased.
Another point to be noticed is that the students will not be involved in passing and
failing but it will merely be a periodic evaluation to have an idea of their progress.
For students not performing well, a remedial will be provided along with the grading
of teachers wherein the methods will be evaluated.
All the schools affiliated to ICSE will have to follow a uniform syllabus from nursery to
Class X which was not the case earlier as the schools had the freedom to decide their own
syllabus until Class X.
Talking about it’s impact on the students, the board exams shouldn’t cause much of a
stress among them as there will be no passing and failing situation but just a check
on their progress.
Moreover, it will enable the students to appear for the future board exams with much
more confidence and will also make it easier for the Board to judge students on the same
parameters as those used by the other schools.
I believe that it is a very good decision on the part of the Board as it will ensure uniformity
in the education provided as the students will not have to struggle with the high level of
syllabus in class X suddenly after being subjected to comparatively easier syllabus which is
usually the case and will help to keep the quality of education provided constant and
standard throughout.
quality of education they provide. The answer scripts of the students of one school are to
be evaluated by the teachers of another school while will ensure that they are not biased.
Another point to be noticed is that the students will not be involved in passing and
failing but it will merely be a periodic evaluation to have an idea of their progress.
For students not performing well, a remedial will be provided along with the grading
of teachers wherein the methods will be evaluated.
All the schools affiliated to ICSE will have to follow a uniform syllabus from nursery to
Class X which was not the case earlier as the schools had the freedom to decide their own
syllabus until Class X.
Talking about it’s impact on the students, the board exams shouldn’t cause much of a
stress among them as there will be no passing and failing situation but just a check
on their progress.
Moreover, it will enable the students to appear for the future board exams with much
more confidence and will also make it easier for the Board to judge students on the same
parameters as those used by the other schools.
I believe that it is a very good decision on the part of the Board as it will ensure uniformity
in the education provided as the students will not have to struggle with the high level of
syllabus in class X suddenly after being subjected to comparatively easier syllabus which is
usually the case and will help to keep the quality of education provided constant and
standard throughout.
Counter view
- Samika Gulati
Board exams! The two words that instill an unimaginable fear in anybody's mind ,
be it children or their parents.These exams are written by every person at least once
and that one time puts them through so much that they change schools to reduce the
pressure on themselves and those around them.
Having boards for the fifth and eighth grades is just unreasonable.
They are barely teenagers and are still trying to figure out what is right and wrong.
Letting marks decide if they are good enough to finish their schooling is not right.
Fifth graders are going through so many changes of their own and are already stressed
out about that , adding the stress of writing board exams will just overload them with
work and the pressure of doing well will not let them grow and find their own identity.
They will keep trying to live up to their parents and teachers expectations that they will
forget to be their own person first. They are just eleven years old.
Eighth graders are going through puberty and are very aware of things changing
around them. They have just entered their teens and are becoming independent and have started
doing odd jobs for themselves and are growing into young adults. Putting fourteen
year olds through the stress of learning full books for board exams is unreasonable.
By this time they have just started to think about which career/path they want to
pursue in life. Instead of focusing on that , they are wondering on how to ace the boards
and create a good impression on their family , friends and teachers.
Asking fifth and eighth graders to put all of their attention on academics and focus on
nothing else will hamper their all-round development. India's next best writer won't be
able to explore their creativity because he/she is busy studying for board exams.
Academics is not enough of a criteria to promote or fail a child. A very good and
passionate badminton player may never be able to reach his/her full potential as he/she
is not given the time they need to work on their skills.
There is a high rate of suicide among tenth and twelfth graders due to the pressure
they have for doing well in their boards and and the fear of disappointing others. I would
never want fifth graders who are only eleven and eighth graders who are just fourteen to
even think about suicide or anything like it for not being able to study well.
Academics are important but they don't define who you are. So letting them be
the only factor for a child's promotion is not justified. Fifth and eighth graders are too small
to be going through all of this. School is a place to learn new things and improve yourself. Not a place which gives
you so much tension that you feel suffocated.
In conclusion, I personally hate the concept of having board exams for fifth and
eighth and it should be abolished. They have the rest of their life to write exams that
decide their future, they should be able to take school a little easy and be happy. They must
be given enough time and space to discover themselves and be who they want to be without
anyone pressuring them. We should let them be kids and enjoy their childhood.
be it children or their parents.These exams are written by every person at least once
and that one time puts them through so much that they change schools to reduce the
pressure on themselves and those around them.
Having boards for the fifth and eighth grades is just unreasonable.
They are barely teenagers and are still trying to figure out what is right and wrong.
Letting marks decide if they are good enough to finish their schooling is not right.
Fifth graders are going through so many changes of their own and are already stressed
out about that , adding the stress of writing board exams will just overload them with
work and the pressure of doing well will not let them grow and find their own identity.
They will keep trying to live up to their parents and teachers expectations that they will
forget to be their own person first. They are just eleven years old.
Eighth graders are going through puberty and are very aware of things changing
around them. They have just entered their teens and are becoming independent and have started
doing odd jobs for themselves and are growing into young adults. Putting fourteen
year olds through the stress of learning full books for board exams is unreasonable.
By this time they have just started to think about which career/path they want to
pursue in life. Instead of focusing on that , they are wondering on how to ace the boards
and create a good impression on their family , friends and teachers.
Asking fifth and eighth graders to put all of their attention on academics and focus on
nothing else will hamper their all-round development. India's next best writer won't be
able to explore their creativity because he/she is busy studying for board exams.
Academics is not enough of a criteria to promote or fail a child. A very good and
passionate badminton player may never be able to reach his/her full potential as he/she
is not given the time they need to work on their skills.
There is a high rate of suicide among tenth and twelfth graders due to the pressure
they have for doing well in their boards and and the fear of disappointing others. I would
never want fifth graders who are only eleven and eighth graders who are just fourteen to
even think about suicide or anything like it for not being able to study well.
Academics are important but they don't define who you are. So letting them be
the only factor for a child's promotion is not justified. Fifth and eighth graders are too small
to be going through all of this. School is a place to learn new things and improve yourself. Not a place which gives
you so much tension that you feel suffocated.
In conclusion, I personally hate the concept of having board exams for fifth and
eighth and it should be abolished. They have the rest of their life to write exams that
decide their future, they should be able to take school a little easy and be happy. They must
be given enough time and space to discover themselves and be who they want to be without
anyone pressuring them. We should let them be kids and enjoy their childhood.
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