Karnataka 's half-yearly exam results on hold: The Supreme Court on Monday, issued a directive to the Karnataka government, halting the release of half-yearly exam results for classes 8, 9, and 10 across the state's districts until further notice.
The ruling came from a bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma during a hearing on a plea that challenged the state's decision to implement board exams for classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 under the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEAB).
The court was made aware of the ongoing half-yearly board exams for Class 10, prompting the bench to express concern. The court noted that half-yearly board exams are not conducted in other states, remarking that such practices "cannot happen" and labelling the issue as a matter of "ego" on the part of the state. It emphasised that only board exams should be held, not midterm board exams.
Karnataka government cancels common exams for classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 this year
The Karnataka government has announced that there will be no common board exams for students in classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 in state board schools for the current academic year. Instead, a summative assessment-2 will be conducted for classes 5, 8, and 9, according to a TNN report.
School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa made this announcement on October 18, following the state’s submission to the Supreme Court that it had withdrawn notifications for holding these exams in three districts.
The Supreme Court had previously criticised the Karnataka government over its decision to hold common assessments for these classes. The state faced legal challenges when private schools opposed the move, resulting in a series of court battles. Initially, a single bench of the Karnataka High Court struck down the order, but a division bench later stayed this decision, allowing the exams to proceed.
The private schools then appealed to the Supreme Court, which on March 12 ordered the exams to be put on hold. Despite this, the state proceeded with public exams, prompting the court to question why the government was "harassing" school students, hinting at an "ego problem" behind the issue.
Five advantages of board-conducted half-yearly exams
While traditionally schools conduct these assessments internally, having them organised at the board level brings a range of benefits for both students and educators, here are five key reasons:
Standardised Evaluation
When exams are conducted at the board level, they ensure that students across all affiliated schools undergo a consistent and uniform evaluation process. This helps maintain fairness in assessments and ensures that all students are judged by the same standards.
Reduced Pressure on Schools
Centralising exams helps alleviate the administrative burden on individual schools. By taking over the responsibility of organising and managing exams, boards allow schools to focus more on teaching and less on logistics, reducing stress for teachers and students alike.
Increased Reliability
Board-administered exams typically undergo thorough quality control, enhancing their accuracy and reliability. This gives students a more precise measure of their academic abilities and performance.
Improved Data Collection
Large-scale exams conducted by boards provide a wealth of data that can be used to track student performance across the region. This data is invaluable for educational authorities in identifying strengths and weaknesses in the education system, leading to better policy-making.
Higher Accountability
With exams handled at the board level, schools are held to a higher standard of accountability. They are encouraged to enhance their teaching methods, and students are motivated to prepare more diligently for standardised assessments.
(With agency inputs)
The ruling came from a bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma during a hearing on a plea that challenged the state's decision to implement board exams for classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 under the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEAB).
The court was made aware of the ongoing half-yearly board exams for Class 10, prompting the bench to express concern. The court noted that half-yearly board exams are not conducted in other states, remarking that such practices "cannot happen" and labelling the issue as a matter of "ego" on the part of the state. It emphasised that only board exams should be held, not midterm board exams.
Karnataka government cancels common exams for classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 this year
The Karnataka government has announced that there will be no common board exams for students in classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 in state board schools for the current academic year. Instead, a summative assessment-2 will be conducted for classes 5, 8, and 9, according to a TNN report.
School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa made this announcement on October 18, following the state’s submission to the Supreme Court that it had withdrawn notifications for holding these exams in three districts.
The Supreme Court had previously criticised the Karnataka government over its decision to hold common assessments for these classes. The state faced legal challenges when private schools opposed the move, resulting in a series of court battles. Initially, a single bench of the Karnataka High Court struck down the order, but a division bench later stayed this decision, allowing the exams to proceed.
The private schools then appealed to the Supreme Court, which on March 12 ordered the exams to be put on hold. Despite this, the state proceeded with public exams, prompting the court to question why the government was "harassing" school students, hinting at an "ego problem" behind the issue.
Five advantages of board-conducted half-yearly exams
While traditionally schools conduct these assessments internally, having them organised at the board level brings a range of benefits for both students and educators, here are five key reasons:
Standardised Evaluation
When exams are conducted at the board level, they ensure that students across all affiliated schools undergo a consistent and uniform evaluation process. This helps maintain fairness in assessments and ensures that all students are judged by the same standards.
Reduced Pressure on Schools
Centralising exams helps alleviate the administrative burden on individual schools. By taking over the responsibility of organising and managing exams, boards allow schools to focus more on teaching and less on logistics, reducing stress for teachers and students alike.
Increased Reliability
Board-administered exams typically undergo thorough quality control, enhancing their accuracy and reliability. This gives students a more precise measure of their academic abilities and performance.
Improved Data Collection
Large-scale exams conducted by boards provide a wealth of data that can be used to track student performance across the region. This data is invaluable for educational authorities in identifying strengths and weaknesses in the education system, leading to better policy-making.
Higher Accountability
With exams handled at the board level, schools are held to a higher standard of accountability. They are encouraged to enhance their teaching methods, and students are motivated to prepare more diligently for standardised assessments.
(With agency inputs)
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