CBSE Board exams 2022 will term be different, here’s all you need to know to understand the pattern of new exams
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will hold two board exams or term-end exams for the 2022 batch. Each of the exams will be held on 50 per cent of the syllabus. The term I will be held in November-December while the term II will be conducted in March-April. The pattern of the exams will be different not only from the exams held so far but the pattern of term-I and term-II exams will also be different.
The term I exams will have multiple choice questions including case-based MCQs and assertion-reasoning type MCQs and will be held for 90 minutes. The term II will have questions in different formats including case-based, situation-based, open-ended questions as well as both short and long answer type questions. This paper will be conducted for two hours. Since in the past two years March and April have seen a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, the board has already allowed the flexibility to schools. If the Covid-19 pandemic situation does not normalize, the March exams will be held MCQ-based papers for 90 minutes.
The exams are expected to be held by respective schools, however, to remain fair, the papers will be conducted under the supervision of external center superintendents and observers appointed by CBSE. The board will issue a rationalized syllabus soon.
Apart from both term-I and Term-II scores, the internal assessment marks will also be counted for calculating the final score of students in board exams 2021. Collection of data based on the performance of students in class and internals will begin with the start of the new academic session. Schools will create a student profile for all assessments undertaken over the year and save it in a digital format.
As part of internals for class 10 boards, three periodic tests, student enrichment, portfolio, and practical work, speaking listening activities, and projects will be conducted. For class 12, the internal assessment will include unit tests, exploratory activities, practicals, and projects.
The option of holding multiple exams and shorter exams of 90 minutes were also discussed for 2021 batch students, however, due to the COVID-19 second wave, the board exams had to be canceled. In 2020 as well, the board had to cancel exams mid-way, however, exams for major subjects were held by the time covid-19 led lockdown canceled the examination. There has been a debate over holding board exams and changes in the assessment system have been demanded.
CBSE, thus decided, to make the examinations more “student-centric, transparent, technology-driven, and advance provision of alternatives for different future scenarios”, the board stated.
In the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, it was suggested that boards including CBSE should introduce reforms in the exam pattern and conduct it in a phased manner. Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget Speech 2021 had also said that exams will move away from rote learning and students will be assessed based on their conceptual clarity, analytical skills, as well as knowledge of real-life situations.
