For class XII students, the end of board examinations marks the beginning of a series of competitive examinations.
This Sunday, students aspiring to make it to professional institutes such as the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) will take the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
“There is a notion that students of the state board tend to find the AIEEE paper difficult. But, it is not all that difficult,” according to T.M. Soundararajan, mathematics teacher, Sri Ahobila Mutt Oriental School.
Observing that the State Board syllabus and the CBSE syllabus have a lot in common, he says: “The CBSE stream has more sums and because students are exposed to them, they may have an edge.”
However, with the trend of preparing for multiple competitive examinations becoming popular among students of all streams, many are well equipped.
Gulsar Ahamed, a student of DAV Matriculation, has just given his class XII examinations. Busy preparing for the AIEEE, he says: “I did not enrol for any coaching class for AIEEE since I have been attending classes for the IIT-JEE for the last two years. I do not find the AIEEE particularly difficult,” he says.
However, some of Gulsar's friends, who did not go for JEE coaching, attended classes for AIEEE. “Many have enrolled for crash courses now,” he added.
Largely based on the CBSE syllabus, the AIEEE has two papers. While paper I (physics, chemistry and mathematics) is for students interested in B.E and B.Tech programmes, Paper II (mathematics, aptitude and drawing) is for students aiming to pursue B. Arch or B. Planning programmes.
However, the AIEEE is more popular among students going to private schools. Some government school students are unaware of the opportunities that they will get if they perform well in such competitive examinations, say teachers. “Most of them think that the only way to make it to engineering colleges is through counselling. They do not know of the JEE, AIEEE or entrance examinations conducted by the deemed universities,” she said.
Also, as a parent points out, the fees that coaching centres charge for competitive examinations runs into several thousand rupees.
Asked if she knew about the AIEEE, class XII student S. Geetha, going to a government-aided school, says: “No. I only know that if I score well, I might get engineering admissions. Otherwise, I will have to take up a B.Sc course.”
Showing posts with label CBSE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBSE. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
CBSE set to become international board from next session
After deciding to make Class X board exam optional, India’s premier school board CBSE is set to go global by introducing a new syllabus for international students and would affiliate any school from any country from the next academic session.
The Central Board of Secondary Education would introduce a new syllabus to make it on par with international boards like International Baccalaureate (IB).
The new syllabus will be only meant for international students and will be taught in the interested affiliated schools from abroad.
“From next session, the CBSE will introduce a separate curriculum for international students. This will help the board to become an international board like IB,” a HRD Ministry official told PTI.
However, CBSE will continue its existing curriculum for domestic students.
The new curriculum will be of international standards and give a global perspective to the subjects of study.
Citing an example, the official said while the subject of history in the existing syllabus mainly deals with Indian history, the new syllabus will focus on world history.
Similarly, the syllabus of all subjects would be made keeping in view the curriculum of international boards.
The CBSE would introduce the new syllabus in Class I and Class IX in the next session. Then every year, the new syllabus would be introduced in a new class.
“Over a few years, CBSE will have international standard syllabus for all classes,” he said.
The board at present has affiliated schools in a number of Gulf countries and Singapore. However, such schools are mainly started by the Indian diaspora there.
The new curriculum will help even other schools in any country to opt for the CBSE system and get affiliated to it.
“CBSE, in the process, will be an alternative to any international school boards,” the official said.
This will help the students of those schools better compete at international level. It will be easier for them to study anywhere in the world.
The new curriculum will give more importance to activity-based teaching. More project works and practical experiences will be the thrust, the official said.
CBSE has set up a committee which is working on the new syllabus. The syllabus will be ready within a month.
The Central Board of Secondary Education would introduce a new syllabus to make it on par with international boards like International Baccalaureate (IB).
The new syllabus will be only meant for international students and will be taught in the interested affiliated schools from abroad.
“From next session, the CBSE will introduce a separate curriculum for international students. This will help the board to become an international board like IB,” a HRD Ministry official told PTI.
However, CBSE will continue its existing curriculum for domestic students.
The new curriculum will be of international standards and give a global perspective to the subjects of study.
Citing an example, the official said while the subject of history in the existing syllabus mainly deals with Indian history, the new syllabus will focus on world history.
Similarly, the syllabus of all subjects would be made keeping in view the curriculum of international boards.
The CBSE would introduce the new syllabus in Class I and Class IX in the next session. Then every year, the new syllabus would be introduced in a new class.
“Over a few years, CBSE will have international standard syllabus for all classes,” he said.
The board at present has affiliated schools in a number of Gulf countries and Singapore. However, such schools are mainly started by the Indian diaspora there.
The new curriculum will help even other schools in any country to opt for the CBSE system and get affiliated to it.
“CBSE, in the process, will be an alternative to any international school boards,” the official said.
This will help the students of those schools better compete at international level. It will be easier for them to study anywhere in the world.
The new curriculum will give more importance to activity-based teaching. More project works and practical experiences will be the thrust, the official said.
CBSE has set up a committee which is working on the new syllabus. The syllabus will be ready within a month.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Schools wait and watch over effectiveness of CCE
Standard IX students in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools are gearing up for their first major summative assessment for the year, as part of the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE).
Earlier this academic year, the CCE was introduced for Standard IX, in which students’ performance is evaluated using formative and summative assessment. The move followed the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s decision to make school education less stressful for students.
Some schools think it might be a tad early to comment on the effectiveness of the CCE. “We are still getting used to the system and we will be in a better position to comment on it next year. I am sure it will work out well,” says Kanti Ramakrishnan, Vice-Principal, Chinmaya Vidyala, Taylor’s Road.
According to Ajit Prasad Jain, Senior Principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram, examination-related anxiety and stress among students has come down considerably. “Many think that the CCE is just about unit tests, but that’s not true. Assessment is based on interaction with the teacher, project work, homework, and so on,” he explains.
Emphasising the need for mentoring and monitoring in the system, the Board recently held a training programme for principals. “We would, in turn, train other principals and teachers in the region,” says Mr. Jain, who attended the training programme in New Delhi.
However, a recent circular from the CBSE to schools has also raised some questions. The note talks of the need for uniformity in summative assessment across schools. As a result, the CBSE has prepared question papers for various subjects and mailed the CDs to schools.
While Mr. Jain says uniformity would help schools, heads such as C. Satish, Senior Principal, R.M.K. Group of Schools, wonder if it is another, indirect, way of conducting a board examination.
“We’ve had formative assessment so far, but if it’s going to be a common, final examination as part of the summative assessment component, is it not like any other board examination?” Mr. Satish asks.
Teachers are forced to do a lot of clerical work documenting students’ performances systematically, he addssuggesting that the Board strengthen its teacher-training processes. “We need regular follow-up meetings with the Board, so teachers can discuss the challenges they face. There are talks about introducing the system for Standard XI. The present challenges have to be addressed first.”
On whether the CBSE had planned to collect feedback on the CCE, its Regional Officer N. Nagaraju said the CDs with the examination questions were being sent directly from New Delhi. “We will speak to the schools after the examinations,” he said.
Earlier this academic year, the CCE was introduced for Standard IX, in which students’ performance is evaluated using formative and summative assessment. The move followed the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s decision to make school education less stressful for students.
Some schools think it might be a tad early to comment on the effectiveness of the CCE. “We are still getting used to the system and we will be in a better position to comment on it next year. I am sure it will work out well,” says Kanti Ramakrishnan, Vice-Principal, Chinmaya Vidyala, Taylor’s Road.
According to Ajit Prasad Jain, Senior Principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram, examination-related anxiety and stress among students has come down considerably. “Many think that the CCE is just about unit tests, but that’s not true. Assessment is based on interaction with the teacher, project work, homework, and so on,” he explains.
Emphasising the need for mentoring and monitoring in the system, the Board recently held a training programme for principals. “We would, in turn, train other principals and teachers in the region,” says Mr. Jain, who attended the training programme in New Delhi.
However, a recent circular from the CBSE to schools has also raised some questions. The note talks of the need for uniformity in summative assessment across schools. As a result, the CBSE has prepared question papers for various subjects and mailed the CDs to schools.
While Mr. Jain says uniformity would help schools, heads such as C. Satish, Senior Principal, R.M.K. Group of Schools, wonder if it is another, indirect, way of conducting a board examination.
“We’ve had formative assessment so far, but if it’s going to be a common, final examination as part of the summative assessment component, is it not like any other board examination?” Mr. Satish asks.
Teachers are forced to do a lot of clerical work documenting students’ performances systematically, he addssuggesting that the Board strengthen its teacher-training processes. “We need regular follow-up meetings with the Board, so teachers can discuss the challenges they face. There are talks about introducing the system for Standard XI. The present challenges have to be addressed first.”
On whether the CBSE had planned to collect feedback on the CCE, its Regional Officer N. Nagaraju said the CDs with the examination questions were being sent directly from New Delhi. “We will speak to the schools after the examinations,” he said.
