Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that appearing for Class 10 and 12 board exams twice a year will now be an optional feature for students instead of a mandatory requirement. The move is aimed at reducing the stress students often face due to fear of an opportunity.
Education Minister said, “Students will have the option to appear for the exam twice a year, just like the engineering entrance exam JEE. They can choose the best score…but it will be completely optional, no compulsion Will happen,” as reported by the PTI.
“Students often get stressed thinking that their one year has been wasted, their opportunity has gone or they could have performed better… Offering options to reduce the stress caused by the fear of a single opportunity being done,” Pradhan added.
He further added that if a student feels that he is completely prepared and is satisfied with the scores of the first set of exams, he can choose not to appear in the next exam. Nothing will be mandatory.
According to the New Curriculum Framework (NCF) announced by the Education Ministry in August, board exams will be conducted twice a year so that students have enough time to prepare and maintain the best scores.
Dharmendra Pradhan on Kota Suicide Cases
Earlier on October 8, the Union Education Minister indicated that there is a need to discuss the dummy schools run by coaching institutes. Dharmendra Pradhan said, “This is a very sensitive issue, no one’s life should be lost. They are our children. It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that students remain tension free.”
Over 2 lakh students take coaching in Kota every year
More than two lakh students from across the country go to Kota every year to prepare for entrance examinations like Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for engineering and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission in medical colleges. According to official figures, this year 24 students has committed suicide in Kota, which is the highest number till date. Last year, this figure was 15.