West Bengal education dept to 'grade'students

CHANGING TIMES: The new evaluation system could radically alter school education in the state.

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Kolkata: The school education in West Bengal is planning to grade students of awarding marks.

In a year's time from now, 15-year old Esha Pandit will appear for her first board exams.

A student of class X with the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, Esha has suddenly had to change her approach towards the test.

The Board is introducing the grading system of evaluation in the Madhyamik Pariksha from next year and Esha isn't impressed.

"If the marks are given then this gradation system will not be of much effect. When one will try to take admission in any school then marks will be considered, not the grade,” says Esha.

The board is planning a seven-layered marking system.

• A student obtaining marks between 90 and 100 in a subject will be considered "outstanding" and denoted with a AA.
• Similarly, other grades such as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Satisfactory and Marginal too have been created.
• As against the current mimimum of 20 per cent marks in each subject, those obtaining below 25 per cent marks will be disqualified under the new system.

The government justifies the new system.

"The entire year's effort by a student shouldn't be judged by the mark he or she gets in one exam It is better to evaluate them on a broader band or a grade,” says School Education Minister, West Bengal, Partha Dey.

Over six and a half lakh students appear in Madhyamik Pariksha every year.

The present system requires them to obtain 34 per cent marks in compulsory subjects group and a minimum of 20 marks in each subject to qualify.

The proposed evaluation pattern has set the cut off mark at 25.

In its bid to optimally utilise at least 200 working days a year and reduce pressure on teachers, the board is also planning to revert back to its earlier system of having the academic year from January to December.

Coupled with the changed evaluation system, the experiments could radically alter school education in Bengal.