2.

5
POSITION PAPER

NATIONAL FOCUS G ROUP

ON

EXAMINATION
REFORMS
 2.5
POSITION PAPER

NATIONAL FOCUS GROUP

ON

EXAMINATION
REFORMS
 ISBN 81-7450-545-8
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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

“Education is not the filling of a vessel but the kindling of a flame.”

— Socrates

Summary of key recommendations of the Focus Group on Exam Reforms on structural and
procedural change. To be read in conjunction with its recommendations on reducing stress and
anxiety among students. (Please note that some of the recommendations below – especially 1,2,4,
7 and 10 — also address the problem of student stress, anxiety and suicide.)
1) Institutions in each field (e.g engineering, law, medicine) co-ordinate with each other and
design one entrance test applicable across the nation. A nodal agency at the national level is
proposed for co-ordinating the testing schedule, ensuring security, and monitoring the timely
release of rank-lists. This nodal agency should not, we emphasize, attempt to frame or grade
the tests themselves.
2) Under no circumstances should board exams be extended to other grades such as the 11th,
8th and 5th – and news that some state boards have initiated such exams cause us grave
apprehension. Indeed, it is our view that the tenth grade board exam be made optional
forthwith. Tenth-graders who intend continuing in the eleventh grade at the same school,
and do not need the board certificate for any immediate purpose, should be free to take a
school-conducted exam instead of the board exam.
3) Now, with computerization of registration and grade reporting it is possible to present a
wider range of performance parameters on the marksheet – absolute marks/grades, percentile
rank among all candidates of that subject, and percentile rank among peers (e.g. schools in the
same rural or urban block.) The last parameter, in particular, we believe to be a crucial test of
merit. Making this information public will allow institutions of higher learning to take a more
complex and relativist view of the notion of merit.
4) Requests for re-checks have declined dramatically in states like Kerala, Gujarat, J & K and
Karnataka which have given students access to their answer papers (at a charge, of course) in
either scanned or Xeroxed form. We laud the efforts of these and other states to make their
systems more transparent. One can also be fairly sure that the more casual examiners in these
states now do their job more diligently. Greater transparency breeds more accountability. We
strongly recommend that all other states fix their systems to provide such access to students,
on request, at reasonable (but not subsidized) cost.
5) The practice of forcing teachers to examine is highly unlikely to lead to good examining and
should be abandoned forthwith. Furthermore it should be recognized that all good teachers
 vi

do not make consistent examiners and vice versa. If boards pay examiners better – and we
recommend a rise in daily wage from the low Rs 100 or 125 per day by a factor of two or three here,
not 10% or 20% more – and weed out poorly motivated examiners many of the core problems will
get solved. Given that most state boards in India are in very good financial health — one small
Northern state even boasts of an accumulated corpus of 84 crores – finding the money should not
be problem.
6) Paper-setting needs drastic reform. In fact, as has been successfully tried in Maharashtra
(though for reasons of security rather than quality) the focus should shift to question-setting
from paper-setting. It should not be necessary that individual questions are written by experts.
Good questions should be canvassed around the year from teachers, college professors in
that discipline, educators from other states, and even students. These questions, after careful
vetting by experts should be categorized according to level of difficulty, topic area, competency
being evaluated, and usage and testing record, and drawn on. After a question has been
selected and used in a paper the question-writer should be suitably rewarded.
7) a) Most real life tasks today, in most professions, call for the ability to ACCESS information,
SIFT AND EVALUATE it (for there is a lot of chaff), SORT it and ANALYZE it. These
skills can be tested through well-designed multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with plausible
distracters. The ubiquitous “short-answer” question usually does not do more than test recall,
and can be replaced with good MCQs. MCQs have several other advantages over “short
answers”:
1) They can be machine-marked, hence are entirely “reliable” and very quick results are
possible
2) Copying problems can largely be eliminated by shuffling of question numbers
3) Extensive syllabus coverage is possible due to the brief time needed per question
Karnataka DSERT reports lower student anxiety levels, higher pass percentages, and lower
urban-rural score disparities where MCQs have been tried extensively in recent years and
now comprise upto 60% of secondary exams.
b) Skills of PRESENTING findings coherently, integrating them into a persuasive argument,
and APPLYING them to real-life problems are also important. They are best evaluated
through essay responses to open-ended questions in languages and the social sciences, and
through tiered problems in sciences and maths. The relevant data/ primary source/ passage
should be provided in the question paper.
8) By protecting the identity of candidates and examiners from each other a lot of post-exam
malpractice can be checked. Maharashtra has successfully implemented a system of encrypted
barcodes which hides the identity of the student (and the school) from not only the examiner but
also exam board employees. When this is used in conjunction with another method which many
 vii

states already adopt – randomizing of exam scripts given to any particular examiner – malpractices
at the level of the examiner becomes far more difficult.
9) A major source of cheating remains help from outside the exam hall, sometimes even through
ingenious means such as mirrors and drums. If candidates are not permitted to leave the
exam-center in the first ninety minutes, and even thereafter not permitted to carry out question
papers with them most of this can be nipped in the bud. Knight errants on the outside simply
would not know what questions to provide answers to.
10) A sensitive teacher usually picks up the unique strengths and weaknesses of students, one
should utilize her insight in assessment and empower her, by empower the system of internal
assessment. At the same time, to prevent its abuse by schools (as is currently the case in
practical exams) internal assessment must be graded on a relative, not an absolute, scale and
must be moderated and scaled against the marks obtained in the external exam.
In conclusion, it should be said that the above reforms would, belatedly, usher us into the mid
or late-twentieth century, but hardly the twenty-first. In the long term (about a decade) we envision
a vastly different system built upon entirely new foundations. This system would actually make the
teacher the primary evaluator of her students. This system would not be one-shot but continuous;
would extend beyond the cognitive domain and beyond pen and paper; and, hopefully, be seen
by all not as a burden but as a tool for further learning. In this system the primary role of boards
would change radically – from direct testing at present to rigorous validation of school-based,
teacher-based assessment. If any direct testing by boards were still to be needed it would be of
a very different type — optional, open-book, and on-demand.
The following pilot programs would provide us valuable data before the long-term changes
envisioned above can be implemented. Some are listed below:
Pilot I: Already initiated in Karnataka, to move toward 60% or more of all exams toward the
MCQ mode.
Pilot II: Already existing in Turkey.
A minimalist end-of-school exam. One three-hour 150 MCQ exam covering all subjects
studied.
Its sole purpose is to validate the school-given exam grades and to raise/lower them by a
moderation factor.
Pilot III: Open-book exams, and source-analysis based assessment.
Pilot IV: The exam system must gradually move toward on-demand exams (they are usually
done on-line, internationally) taken when the candidate is ready; rather than at the convenience
of the system. We suggest a small beginning of this in computer science exams as a pilot
project and its future expansion to maths and physics exams.
 MEMBERS OF NATIONAL FOCUS GROUP ON
EXAMINATION REFORMS

Dr. Cyrus Vakil (Chairman) Dr. B.L. Pandit

Director of Studies Formet NCERT Faculty
Mahindra United World College of India 143, Narmada Apartment
Paut, Pune, Maharashtra Alakhananda
New Delhi - 110 019
Prof. A.B.L. Srivastava
Former Head, DEME, NCERT Prof. Sameer Simha
B-41, Sector 14 Vijay Teachers College
Noida - 210 304 4th Block, Vijay Nagar
Uttar Pradesh Bangalore - 560 011
Karnataka
Prof. (Mrs.) N. Panchapekeshan
Former Head, CIE, Delhi University Mrs. U. Mahendru
K-110, Hauz Khas G-146, LIC Colony
New Delhi - 110 016 1st Floor, Jeevan Niketan
Paschim Vihar, New Delhi
Prof. Illa Patel
Institute of Rural Management Shri K. Devarajan
Near Anandalay School Joint Director of Government Examinations
Pot Box No. 60 (Higher Secondary)
Anand - 388 001 College Road, Chennai - 600 006
Gujarat Tamil Nadu

Shri G. Balasubramaniam Dr. K.C. Basthia

Director (Academic) Head, Department of Education
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Salepur College
2, Community Centre Salepur, Distt Cuttak - 754 202
Preet Vihar, Delhi - 110 092 Orrisa
 x

Dr. S.C. Purohit Invitees

Director Prof. R.H. Dave
State Institute of Educational Research and Training Ex-Director
(SIERT) UNESCO Institute of Education
111, Saheli Marg, Udaipur Hamburg, Germany
Rajasthan
Dr. D.V. Sharma
Mr. James Joseph General Secretary
Director Council of Boards of School Education
Higher Secondary Education (COBSE), New Delhi
Government of Kerala
Housing Board Buildings Ms. Harsh Kumari
Thiruvananthapuram - 695 001 Headmistress
Kerala Experimental School
Department of Education
Dr. Mohan Awate University of Delhi
Chairman Delhi
Maharashtra State Board of
Secondary & Hr. Secondary Education Dr. Padma M. Sarangapani
Shivaji Nagar, Pune - 411 005 Associate Fellow
Maharashtra National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)
Bangalore, Karnataka
Dr. Veer Pal Singh
Reader Dr. Shailesh A. Shirali
Department of Educational Measurement Principal
and Evaluation (DEME) Amber Valley Residential School
NCERT, New Delhi - 110 016 K. M. Road, Chikmanglur - 577 201
Karnataka
Dr. Avtar Singh (Member-Secretary)
Professor Dr. Gopal Krishna Rao
Department of Educational Measurement IVth Cross Road, Bangalore
and Evaluation (DEME) Karnataka
NCERT, New Delhi
CONTENTS

Executive Summary . . . v
Members of National Focus Group on Examination Reforms ...ix

1. INTRODUCTION ...1
1.1 Exam Reform: Why is it needed? ...1
1.2 Exit versus Entrance Exams ...1

2. THE LONG-TERM VISION FOR EXAM REFORM ...2

2.1 The Learning Imperatives of the New Knowledge Societies ...3
2.2 Beyond Producing Clerks: Exams and Social Justice ...5
2.3 What do Board Exams Test? ...7
2.4 One Size Does Not Fit All: The Need for Flexibility ...11
2.4.1 We propose the following solutions ...11
2.5 Reduction of Exam Stress and Anxiety ...13
2.6 Exam Management ...16
2.6.1 Pre-exam ...16
2.6.2 Conduct of Examinations ...17
2.7 Transparency and Honesty in Mark/Grade Reporting ...18
2.8 School-based Assessment ...21

3. CONCLUSION ...22

Appendix 1 ...24
Appendix 2 ...25
R e f e r e n c e s ...28
 1

1. INTRODUCTION generally avoided write-ups on issues which fall

squarely in the domain of other focus groups. While
1.1 Exam Reform: Why is it needed?
this report will be frank in its critique, it will avoid
a) Because Indian school board exams are
bland generalizations and arid theorizing, and focus
largely inappropriate for the ‘knowledge
on concrete proposals for improvement. It will also
society’ of the 21st century and its need for
avoid cluttering the recommendations with cross-
innovative problem-solvers.
references to earlier suggestions for reform:
b) Because they do not serve the needs of social
reminders of unimplemented educational reforms
justice.
have long ceased to embarrass the powers that be.
c) Because the quality of question papers is
low. They usually call for rote
1.2 Exit versus Entrance Exams
memorization and fail to test higher-order
We should outline at the outset one criticism of
skills like reasoning and analysis, let alone
board exams that we regard as unfair. Board exams
lateral thinking, creativity, and judgment.
(especially at the twelfth grade) are often criticized
d) Because they are inflexible. Based on a
for not adequately serving the selection needs of
‘one-size-fits-all’ principle, they make no
the next level of education; and the blame for the
allowance for different types of learners and
recent proliferation of entrance exams (and for the
learning environments.
‘coaching classes’ that claim to prepare one for them)
e) Because they induce an inordinate level of
is often laid at their door. This critique arises largely
anxiety and stress. In addition to
widespread trauma, mass media and from confusion about the purpose of board exams.
psychological counselors report a growing Board exams are, and must remain, ‘exit’ exams—
number of exam-induced suicides and whose goal is, and should be, to certify the successful
nervous breakdowns. completion of a course of study. (That this
f) Because while a number of boards use good certification should be of attained competencies
practices in pre-exam and exam management rather than memorized content as at present, while
there remain several glaring shortfalls at true, should not distract us from this fact.) Board
several boards. exams are not, and should not be, designed as ‘entrance’
g) Because there is often a lack of full exams for professional courses, vocational streams, or
disclosure and transparency in grading and whatever. The needs of these post-higher-secondary
mark/grade reporting. courses are specialized in nature and require
h) Because there is need for a functional and particular proficiencies and aptitudes. Board exams,
reliable system of school-based evaluation. on the other hand, are designed to test a broad
Each of the above points is elaborated below, spectrum of learning considered to be essential by
in separate sections, with specific recommendations the framers of a common curriculum and to certify
for change pertaining to each. Some its completion. The two roles are essentially
recommendations are called for on more than one different. The IITs, the National Institute of Design,
of the above counts, and this is noted. We have also law schools, et al will design tests to do their job;
 2

board exams will do theirs. There is no need for foundations. This system would not just pay lip
competition between the two. Nor should one set service to teacher empowerment but actually trust
try to replicate the other. him/her to be the primary evaluator of her students
The only plea one can make—and we make this (while building in safeguards such as external
forcefully in order to reduce student stress and moderation and scaling by boards). This would also
fatigue—is that institutions in each field (e.g., not be a one-shot measure but a continuous process.
engineering, law, medicine) co-ordinate with each It would extend beyond the cognitive domain and
other and design one test applicable across the beyond pen and paper, and, hopefully, be seen by
nation. Requiring a multiplicity of tests for the all not as a burden but as a tool for diagnosis and
same professional stream merely adds to students’ further learning. In this system, the primary role
stress and is in no one’s interest—with the possible of boards would change radically—from direct
exception of coaching classes. We propose a nodal testing at present to careful and rigorous validation
agency at the national level for general co- of school-based, teacher-conducted, assessment.
ordination, preparing the testing schedule, ensuring If any direct testing by boards were still to be
security, and monitoring the timely release of rank- needed, it would be of a very different type—
lists. Getting different end-users of tests to agree optional, open-book, and on-demand.
on a common core syllabus for each entrance exam Implementing this vision will require a lot of
should also be part of its function (and this would education of all stakeholders, and a lot of re-training.
further cut into the coaching class business). This It will need time, and above all it will need strong
nodal agency however should not, we emphasize, political will—there are several entrenched interests
attempt to either frame or grade the tests for which such learner-oriented change would be
themselves. fatal.
The short-term and medium-term reforms
2. THE LONG-TERM VISION FOR EXAM outlined below, therefore, should be seen as
REFORM important not so much in themselves as for laying
Finally, it should be noted that what we recommend some of the groundwork for this more radical long-
below are short-term and medium-term term change. We recognize that conventional exams
improvements to an exam system whose roots lie can only be dropped when tested alternatives are in
in nineteenth century colonialism1. Ironing out its place, and we propose, at the end of this paper,
flaws will bring us, belatedly, into the mid or late- some pilot projects for testing these alternatives.
twentieth century, but hardly into the twenty-first. Meanwhile, it is imperative that conventional board
In the long term (about a decade), we envision a exams do not extend themselves to other grades.
vastly different system built upon entirely new Under no circumstances should board exams be

1
K. Kumar’s Political Agenda of Education (2005) argues persuasively for exams being an essential constituent of the British colonial ideology, with its
need to disempower the (Indian) teacher while lending weight to the prescribed textbook and exam structures. Eric Stokes’s classic The English Utilitarians
and India (1959) shows how India and the Indian education system was used as a laboratory by Mill and others to test the efficacy of competitive exams as
tests of merit before they were used in Britain.
 3

extended to other grades such as the 11th, 8th, and viewed as such. Hence, the primary goal of
5th —and news that some state boards have initiated education remained that of disseminating it through
such exams cause us grave apprehension. Indeed, it prescribed textbooks and the prime purpose of
is our view that the tenth grade board exam be made examinations was to test the success of such
optional forthwith. Tenth-graders who intend to transmission. The simultaneous processes of nation
continue in the eleventh grade at the same school, building and the creation of an industrial working
and do not need the board certificate for any class required homogenizing, and hence did not put
immediate purpose, should be free to take a school- a premium on differentiation or flexibility. And
conducted exam instead of the board exam. 2 the welfare of the individual learner was subordinate
to this political and economic enterprise.
2.1 The Learning Imperatives of the New Much before the dawn of the new ‘knowledge
Knowledge Societies society’ in the 1990s, however, this educational
It is now almost a cliché to assert that the education model was already under stress. Contrary to
needs of today and tomorrow are vastly different expectations of early state-planners, it was the service
from those of the 19th and 20th centuries. But ideas industry rather than manufacturing that steadily
usually become clichés when they are true. School grew to dominate the Indian economy and became
education in the colonial era was designed to the biggest source of new jobs. By definition the
produce clerks for the bureaucracy. 3 What was service economy involves catering to other people’s
taught, and what exams rewarded, was conformity varied needs in a flexible and differentiated
and mastery of prescribed, narrowly defined content manner—be it in hospitality, retailing, transport,
usually learnt from a single text. A questioning insurance, or any other sector. And if
attitude was dangerous, and the teaching of skills standardization is the key to success in
other than those needed by the colonial state manufacturing, differentiation is the key to success
superfluous. After 1947, school education was in the service sector. If consistency is a key quality
extended to a wider population (though, arguably, of an industrial worker, problem solving and lateral
not wide enough) and the content prescribed was thinking are key qualities in a service provider (even
partially modified to cater to the perceived needs at the humble level of a table-server). In the latter,
of both nation building and the new industrial one size manifestly does not fit all. And it calls for
economy.4 But knowledge remained scarce and was a very different philosophy of education.5

2
This recommendation is elaborated in the section on relieving student stress and anxiety.
3
This is, of course, the traditional view. It is challenged by Kumar (2005), who argues that the ‘civilizing’ motive was paramount. While no reader of
Macaulay’s famous Minute would doubt the genuineness of this intent—of creating a class of elite Indians who would be at least as British as the British
in their world-view—Kumar takes the argument further. He argues forcefully that, even in terms of outcome, not clerks but creative thinkers (such as the
first generation of nationalists) were produced.
4
Ironically, given the nature of the new Indian democracy, there was a greater need for clerks to staff government offices in the decades immediately after
independence than ever before in the colonial era.
5
At the political level, likewise, the celebration of regional and linguistic diversity soon took prominence over a homogenizing nation-building model.
 4

The new ‘knowledge economy’—in which India the process outlined above—the search and sifting
has emerged as a key player and in which, beginning of raw data and its step-wise conversion into
with Rajiv Gandhi, its leaders have placed great useful knowledge—is now at the heart of several
transformative hopes—has put the old ‘transmission traditional professions. Nor is it limited to elite
of scarce knowledge’ educational model under even professionals, such as managers, business
greater stress. The Internet has demonstrated that consultants, doctors, researchers, economists, and
information, even useful information, is not journalists. Pharmaceutical and used-car
scarce—indeed it is freely available, often in salespersons, real-estate agents, travel agents,
overwhelming quantities, at the click of a mouse. advocates, couriers, retailers, and, of course,
What is needed is skilled processors of this personal secretaries—all require these skills to a
information—people who can access it, sift and substantial degree.6 It is for this reason that we
evaluate it (for there is a lot of chaff), sort it, and have used the term ‘knowledge societies’ in the plural
analyse it. Skilled workforce is needed to identify rather than the singular. These ‘societies’ or
or deduce relationships within what seems like professions may have nothing in common other
scattered and unrelated data. Finally, the findings than the commonality of this process of
need to be presented coherently and persuasively, ‘information-sifting and evaluation’. Whether one
and their application to real-life problems calls this analytical thinking, critical thinking, lateral
demonstrated. For those who can thus convert raw thinking, or problem-solving does not matter.
data into useful knowledge, jobs are there for the (Indeed the skills needed are a composite of these.)
asking, here and overseas. The point is that most of these types of thinking
Two hoary myths persist on this issue and need are required in most occupations today. Yet we are
to be addressed. The easier one is embodied in a hard-pressed to find a single one of these activities
question posed by a member of another National being required of exam candidates in Indian schools
Focus Group: “What world are you living in? This today, let alone such a composite.
bubble burst in 2000.” With all due respect to this The negative impact of this is already being
august personage, we believe that it did not—though felt—in a scarcity of skilled personnel. How well
we accept that, while its contribution to the India’s are we doing in producing these problem solvers
economic growth and foreign exchange generation or lateral thinkers by these new and traditional
is now significant (and growing fast), its significant industries? Let us turn to the quintessential problem-
presence has yet to be felt across much of India, solving profession, one that Indians have done well
especially outside peninsular India and outside urban in—software programming. NASSCOM predicts
India. that there will be shortfall of several lakh computer
It is slightly harder to show that the imperatives programmers by 2010, and that this is the single-
of the new knowledge society extend well beyond largest hurdle the industry faces. Further inquiry
the world of software engineers and BPO reveals the reason. In a recent interview, S.A.
professionals. It should be stressed that much of Deshpande, head of training and recruitment at one

6
Internet initiatives like ITC’s e-chaupal and those of M&M may soon make it worthwhile even for the farmer to acquire its rudiments.
 5

of India’s very large software companies, has this singly and collectively. Are our education and exam
to say: “19 out of 20 graduate applicants and 6 out systems working to create such ‘problem-solving’
of 7 post-graduate applicants are unemployable. citizens?
They simply lack the requisite problem-solving skills
or often even any real clue as to what problem- 2.2 Beyond Producing Clerks: Exams and Social
solving means.” She continues: “We don’t really Justice
need engineers as programmers. We could even hire Education remains the primary engine of upward
high-school dropouts if they had the right skills. economic mobility. Due to the pioneering
We tend to hire engineers because they, unlike most entrepreneurial efforts of a few in Bangalore and
other graduates, have usually learnt problem-solving Hyderabad, India is today uniquely poised to
along the way.” If a country of over 100 crore is become an intellectual powerhouse in the new
struggling to produce one lakh youth a year with ‘knowledge’ era. Pharmaceutical and biotech
these problem-solving skills, all is clearly not well research, consulting, and of course software
with its education system. Nor is there much point development, all promise hundreds of thousands
in merely blaming college education. There is a of high-paying and fulfilling jobs—if, however, the
good amount of psychological theory to suggest Indian education system can produce students with
that if you want inquiring minds who can ‘think the required skill-sets and attitudes. In particular,
out of the box’ at the age of 21, you cannot begin it would have to tap students in small towns and
to create them at age 17. You have to begin at 7, or rural areas—not merely because a larger number of
at least at 11. ‘knowledge workers’ will be needed than big cities
We have stressed the economic importance of could produce but because social justice demands
creating problem-solvers and rigorous thinkers that the rural and small-town population be given
because education, more than anything else, has the (howsoever belatedly) the opportunity to benefit from
potential to cause upward mobility. And, in turn, the newer engines of economic growth.
well-educated manpower (and womanpower) has This is an immense challenge that the Indian
always been a pre-requisite for rapid productivity education system faces, and we must tackle it with
gains. But even if there were no economic benefits fresh thinking. We must discard the mandarin
most polities and civic societies, at least within mentality—one that masquerades as progressive but
democracies, would welcome the creation of a is actually colonial in its quest. This mentality is
citizenry with a keen, questioning mind, able to epitomized by the remarkably candid question
judiciously process information for itself. Within posed by the Education Secretary of a western state
the specific Indian context, it is hard to imagine the of India, after the Chair of this Focus Group had
State making much headway against problems of made his presentation. ‘Who, then, will produce
poverty, patriarchy, and caste discrimination the clerks?’ the Secretary asked. Lord Macaulay
without large sections of its citizenry possessing would have smiled from his grave.
such analytical and critical skills. Likewise, a lot of A more serious objection (raised by a school
the solutions for India’s complex social problems principal in a rural part of Pune district) deserves
will need to come from creative visionaries working more careful consideration: “Today’s board exams
 6

cater to all sections of the population—including A system of education and examination that
those who are poorly taught, in schools without teaches members of disadvantaged groups the
adequate facilities. How will he cope when asked requisite problem-solving and analytical skills
to solve a problem on the transfer of momentum needed by the job market is vital. Memorizing and
rather than just defining it? Won’t more students regurgitating textbooks is not a skill needed by the
fail? Won’t more drop out?” The question is crucial. job market. An exam system that encourages this
It assumes that excellence and equity are at odds; type of ‘learning’ snuffs out creativity. As the
that the former must occur at the expense of the National Advisory Committee on ‘Learning
other. Before we attempt an integrated solution in Without Burden’ opined:
the subsequent sections, a few observations are in Board examinations, taken at the end of Class
order in an attempt to think beyond the ‘equity vs X and Class XII, have remained rigid, bureau-
excellence’ polarity. cratic, and essentially uneducative… and
We believe that to teach skills and create mainly a source of awe because of the amount
excellence, in hitherto neglected backwaters, is the of information they demand in a manner
way—perhaps the only sustainable way—toward real ready for instant recall. 8
equity. Disadvantaged regions and groups are not We will suggest below that such exams not only
being done a favour when pass certificates are snuff out the joy of learning but, by doing so,
handed out that get them nowhere—neither to a encourage ‘dropping out’ and are, therefore,
job nor to success at university7. Educators should economically regressive.
feel good not when students from disadvantaged Exams and learning systems that require rote
groups and classes and regions get ‘pass’ certificates, are unlikely to stimulate students, create interest in
but when these certificates open doors to well- them to attend, or make them feel that they are
paying, high-skilled, satisfying jobs that learning skills useful to their later life. True learning
permanently raise them out of poverty. (Today this takes place only in an environment where people
is not the case, and, frankly, can one really blame feel challenged. As Socrates noted, “Education is
employers?) We owe it to these disadvantaged not the filling of a vessel but the kindling of a flame.”
regions and groups to teach them the skills needed The trick is to kindle the flame, and the student
to succeed in today’s world. The real losers in a will remain motivated. On the other hand, an exam
system that does not teach practically useful skills system forcing students to memorize a plethora of
are these disadvantaged groups—the privileged will facts, from an unattractive, dry-as-dust textbook—
usually absorb these from their environment facts usually divorced from any conceptual
anyway. In the name of equity, let us not perpetuate framework and certainly from their frame of
inequity. reference and experience—is unlikely to keep them

7
And even this “passing” is not occurring. No less than about 60% of tenth-grade candidates and about 40% of twelth-grade candidates do not clear their
respective exams.
8
Government of India (1993). Learning without Burden. Report of the National Advisory Committee appointed by the Ministry of Human Resource
Development, Department of Education, New Delhi. p .17.
 7

attending. Has the system made an attempt to reflect whole, rather than islands of excellence here or there,
and authenticate their frame of reference or to work is to move forward.9
through their distinctive worldview? Or has it
merely tried to stuff some half-digested information 2.3 What do Board Exams Test?
from an alien context down their throat? The vast Though fairly reliable tests of narrow textbook
majority of textbooks prescribed by educational content, Indian school board exams are rarely valid
boards do precisely this. Yet we tend to attribute tests of desired competencies and broader curricular
dropping out to ‘learner disinterest’, subtly shifting objectives, even within the cognitive domain.
blame onto the learner. Could it be that the blame The core of the exam system is the exam paper.
for this disinterest lies more with the system than This may seem almost a tautological assertion but,
with the learner? That it lies with a system that given the lack of attention paid by most boards to
failed even to attempt to kindle a flame? Could it the quality of the actual exam paper, it is necessary
be that a more challenging regimen but one rooted to make it. While actual exam administration and
in the students’ realm of experience would have security and release of results have improved in
been more stimulating, kept them coming, and recent years across most boards—mass cheating is
hence led to their learning lifelong skills? (Multiply down due to more flying squads, most boards release
this by a couple of hundred million and we have laid results within 45 days of the end of the exams, etc.—
the foundation for rapid upward economic mobility the question papers themselves remain seriously
and higher quality of public life and creative problematic in the following ways:
endeavour.) If we accept this possibility, excellence and 1) Repetition of identical (or very similar)
innovation in school education do not stand in the questions from year to year (hence playing
way of equity—indeed it would be impossible to into the hands of coaching classes)
imagine equity without a renewed quest for 2) Ambiguous phrasing of questions or
educational excellence and relevance. questions phrased as ‘Write a note on…’
Of course the teaching of skills, and teaching (both of which require students to pour
the teachers who will teach these skills will not be out all they remember from the textbook
easy. It will require resources, careful planning, a on that topic)
careful roadmap, and hard work. It will also mean 3) Inordinately lengthy (perhaps in an
trying to truly connect with students whose lived attempt, usually vain, to ‘cover’ all chapters
experience is diverse and different. Hence, it will of the textbook), hence allowing little time
require decentralization—of curricula, textbooks, for actual thought, and discriminating
and exams. The task is daunting but there is no against thoughtful reflection
other path. It must be done if the country as a 4) Designed to test a detailed knowledge of

9
Some other reforms such as the award of a percentile rank with respect to peer groups, e.g., all students in the school and all students in a block, would, by
highlighting student achievement in its proper context, also aid the cause of social justice. These are dealt with in subsequent sections.
 8

the textbook (including trivia and/or errors paper. The term ‘Modern Messiah’ was employed
within it) rather than competencies and core by the textbook writer (perhaps to describe Karl
concepts Marx—though it could have been Gandhi) but has
Question paper sets from the most recent no wide currency outside the textbook.
(March 2004) 10th and 12th grade exams were A tenth grade geography question—Describe the
collected for detailed study. Attention was focused method of irrigation prevalent in India (0563)—takes
on paper sets from five boards popularly perceived as a given fact that there is only one such method in
to be the best in the country. The exercise was an India, perhaps because the textbook has mentioned
eye-opener. Listed below are samples of the deficient only one!
questions, grouped according to type of deficiency: There are also times when the fact culled from
missing the forest for the trees, i.e., (a) zooming in the textbook is simply wrong. The question Our
on non-essential information or transient highest import is from (Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait)
information, or (b) information that is incorrect (0533) has no correct answer provided—at least for
or purely a creation of the textbook writer. any year in the last quarter century.
There should be a shift away from ‘short Common causes of this general malady are:
answers’ usually requiring little more than (1) the examiner’s desire to test familiarity with
familiarity with often-obscure and peripheral the nooks and cranies of the textbook rather
statements in the textbooks, e.g., What is the weight than to test for competencies and core
of the pituitary gland? As the concerned Bangalore concepts and
father who cited this example rightly explained, the (2) the paper-setter’s genuine confusion on what
gland should be studied for its crucial function, is central and what is peripheral, and what
perhaps even for its structure, but hardly its weight! the role of the exam should be—to evaluate
It is perfectly acceptable for the textbook to mention competencies and understanding of core
how small this crucial gland is (though even this content and concepts, not familiarity with
could be done better by comparison to a pea than obscure (and often incorrect) factual trivia.
by saying 0.78 gm). But it is not proper for the False objectification, i.e., the chopping up of
examiner to call upon this fact (if indeed it is one, unified, integrated knowledge into discrete chunks,
we suspect the weight of the pituitary glands among is another frequent problem, especially in the social
members of our group would vary within a fair sciences. The following question is a good one: How
range). was the feeling of cooperation, friendship and
Examples from 2004 papers in the same category punishment seen in Queen Victoria’s Proclamation
include the following. of 1858? (GSY 61/2). But rather than asking for a
Who were the parents of Benito Mussolini? meaningful essay the question asks for ‘five
(0531)—irrelevant—and How many members are examples’ of such feelings, which rather undermines
there in the U.N.O.? (GSY 59/3)—transient. the enterprise.
Who was called Modern Messiah? (0562) was a A more extreme case of how a meaningful
question asked in a 10th grade History and Civics question loses all meaning when it is chopped up
 9

for the sake of ease in marking is the following Write a short note on the scope of Ethics. (5 marks—
question from a 2004 Business Studies paper (GSY 730S)
66/3): Explain, in brief, any six steps involved in the Passages chosen to test English comprehension
process of selection of employees (6 marks). Surely, routinely cater to students from a particular class:
the sequence is more interesting and important than affluent, urban, and conversant with Western
the number of steps. Why should a student not be practices. Note the extract provided below.
invited to write a coherent essay on the process of DSL English Communicative 1/2: “If your
employee selection and its key issues? Should credit card is more of a functional accessory while
marking convenience (6 points: 6 marks) take you shop or entertain in your own town, you will
precedence over coherence? want a higher credit limit. Here, foreign and private
Marking convenience (and excessive reverence banks will give you a higher credit limit.”
for the content of a textbook) often leads to another Would this make much sense to a student
shortcoming. An obsession with objectivity leads outside this class? Another passage, this time on
to a lack of open-ended questions even when the whale hunting in the Arctic seas, describes how “the
content demands it. Students are forced to justify a blubber is stripped off and boiled down… and can
textbook assertion that is easily (and fruitfully) be made into food for human consumption.” This
contestable. may be appropriate to a question on human
Explain how the Revolt of 1857 was the First geography, but cannot passages that are more
War for National Independence (GSY 61/1). It leaves relevant be found to test English competencies? The
no room for a student to hold the view held by passage continues: “Both cod liver oil and halibut
most mainstream historians today—that Indian liver oil are given to sick children… These oils may
nationalism was scarcely a cause of the events of be bought at any medical shop.” (0522) Not only
1857, and that there is little continuity between these does this continue to make sensitive stomachs churn
events and the post-1890s anti-colonial struggle. (perhaps sicken)—it is also untrue. Only a big urban
What is the relevance of Gandhism today? (GSY chemist in India will stock cod liver oil, and halibut
59/1)—this question forces the student to argue that liver oil is virtually unknown.
Gandhism is relevant. Even a very basic question like The headquarters
Often a good question is marred by a of the Theosophical Society in Madras is at (Adyar,
disproportion between the few marks allotted and Annanagar, T. Nagar) [0562—History & Civics,
the vast breadth of the question. Examples of this 10th Grade] has a definite urban bias.
from 2004 exams are as follows. Finally, one turns to questions in the 2004 papers
Is Marxism relevant today? 2 marks (hence just that are ambiguous—often to the point of
over 3 minutes!) (GSY 59/3 Pol. Sc.) incomprehensibility.
Give a general picture of the political trends of Write a critical note on the emerging party system
the world after the Second World War. (725S) in India. (GSY 59/2) [The party system in India is
Describe the ideals and principles embodied in hardly emerging—it has been there since 1947. Is the
the Constitution of India. (4 marks—725S) question asking about new trends within it?]
 10

When do you get good from a book? (0551— day (usually about four months before the exam)
English Paper 1, 10th grade) [Such sloppy expression and get paid about Rs 250 per paper for the pains
would be inexcusable even in a paper other than an they take. Other than the textbook there is usually
English paper.] no support material provided, nor permitted to be
Give the meaning of globalisation and the steps brought in (ostensibly for security reasons). Nor is
taken in this direction? (DSL 32/1) [By whom? there scope for later modification. Given the
When?] conditions under which they are produced, it is no
Who acts as the reserve force in the Council of surprise that the questions are trite and require
Ministers? (0531) [Neither is the term ‘reserve force’ mechanical regurgitation, or problems are directly
used in the Constitution nor is it referred to by taken from textbooks.
anyone we know of. Nor is it immediately clear Paper-setting needs drastic reform. In fact, as
what the phrase means.] has been successfully tried in Maharashtra (though
Indivisibility of the world is questioned by the for reasons of security rather than quality), the focus
very existence of ‘Third World’ countries—Examine. should shift to question setting from paper setting.
(725S) [Why such questions are not vetted and Written by different paper setters at different times,
weeded out is the real question.] questions should be categorized according to level
of difficulty, topic area, competency being
Analysis evaluated, and usage and testing record. A small
The cause of the above question setting/ paper expert group can then assemble individual questions
setting malady is not difficult to diagnose. In recent into a paper. It should not be necessary that
years, exam boards have shifted their attention to individual questions are written by experts. Indeed,
preventing paper leakage. Substantive vetting of democratisation of this process is desirable. Good
papers is rare as it poses a security risk. As it stands questions should be canvassed from teachers, college
today, the system is primarily designed to be professors in that discipline, educators from other
‘accountable’ in case there is a leak, not to ensure states, ex-students, and even students. After a
quality. The prevention of cheating has also necessitated question has been selected and used in a paper, the
the creation of multiple sets of question-papers, placing question writer should be suitably compensated—
a further burden on the process. In some states, this should provide incentives to write better and
like Punjab, five students sitting behind each other more innovative questions.
will all each solve a different question paper. In other A type of question that has great untapped
states, many sets are generated but only one finally potential is the multiple-choice question (MCQ).
used, and the other sets held in reserve. But in either Well-designed multiple-choice questions with
case, the plight of paper-setters is unenviable. In plausible distracters have the following advantages
several states question papers are set by one over ‘short answers’:
individual, or a very small group of individuals, 1. They can be machine-marked and, hence,
behind locked doors. These one or more individuals are entirely ‘reliable’.
create multiple sets (usually three to five) on a single 2. Very quick results are possible.
 11

3. Copying problem can largely be eliminated hence, to test all learners through a written test of
by shuffling of question numbers. the same type in subject after subject is unfair to
4. Extensive syllabus coverage is possible due those whose verbal proficiency is superior to their
to the brief time needed per question. writing skills, those who work more slowly but
5. Lower student anxiety levels, higher pass with deeper insight, or those who work better in
percentages, and lower urban–rural score groups than individually.
disparities are reported by DSERT in 2.4.1 We propose the following solutions
Karnataka, where MCQs have been tried 1. There should be more varied modes of
extensively in recent years for 60% of many assessment, including oral testing and group-
subject exams. work evaluation. This is extensively
It should be stressed that designing a good discussed in the section on CCE and
MCQ paper is an art and cannot be left to untrained Teacher Empowerment. Suffice it to say,
examiners. They will require training by specialist here, that as sensitive teachers usually pick
trainers. Also, MCQ is not a panacea for the exam these unique strengths and weaknesses of
system. While MCQ can more deeply probe the students, one should utilize their insight in
level of conceptual understanding of students and assessment and empower them and the
gauge a student’s mastery of subtleties, it cannot be system of internal assessment. At the same
the only kind of question in any exam. MCQs work time, to prevent its abuse by schools (as is
best in conjunction with some open-ended essay currently the case in practical exams),
questions in the second part of the paper, which internal assessment must be graded on a
tests expression, and the ability to formulate an relative, not an absolute, scale and must be
argument using relevant facts. moderated against the marks obtained in
If, as we recommend, exams in most subjects the external exam. External moderation of
adopt a combination of MCQs and open-ended internal assessment through mandatory
essay questions (which could be ‘tiered’ to help random sampling is strangely absent at
students structure their response), the ubiquitous present. The consequences are predictable:
‘short answer’ or ‘objective-type’ question (the staple abuse of the system by schools is rampant,
of exams today) can be eliminated altogether. the end-users have little faith in it, and
boards, aware of this, usually report
2.4 One Size Does Not Fit All: The Need for internally assessed marks separately, thus
Flexibility allowing them to be ignored.
Exam systems need to be more flexible. Just as we 2. Do not expect everything of everybody in
must ensure that education and assessment systems every subject. One can appreciate the
are fair to all social groups, we should ensure that rationale for not having different curricula
they do not discriminate against particular kinds for different types of schools and types of
of learners. There is a lot of psychological data to students. (As has been argued—most
suggest that different learners learn differently, and, forcefully in Maharashtra—this would
12

perhaps create a hierarchy within the same higher-level mathematics (if there are two
exam board and create two classes of syllabuses), or comprise less than 20% of
learners.) But, just as we allow students and the standard level paper (if there must be a
schools some element of choice in the common syllabus).
choosing of their subjects, they should have Likewise, English could be examined at
the choice of picking one of two levels three levels: the most basic level would seek
within that subject. Of, say, six subjects, the ability to comprehend and communicate
every student would choose to do 3 (or 4) in English and would have a substantial
exams at the higher level and 3 (or 2) exams oral-tested component. The intermediate
at the standard level. Though set on the level would be a test of standardized
same curriculum, higher-level exams would English, seeking correctness of grammar,
have a larger component of high-order-skill spelling, syntax, etc. in addition to
testing and demand greater speed, comprehension and communication. The
conceptual understanding, and depth of highest level would, in addition, test skills
insight than the standard-level exams. of literary analysis. A similar three-level
Not only would the above reform cater format could, indeed, be adapted for all
for different kinds of learners and allow languages. Every student should be expected
different levels of testing, it would also to test for one language at the highest level
reduce overall student stress levels. It is well and another (or two, in some states) at any
known that students experience greatest level.
stress before and during their most 3. Flexibility in when exams are taken: If it is
‘difficult’ subject exam. accepted that learners learn at different
Secondly, this reform, when applied to paces, there is no reason, other than
Mathematics and English, two subjects with administrative convenience, to test them
the lowest pass rates in most boards, will after two years of higher secondary course
also improve the overall pass rate. As in all subjects simultaneously. We
envisioned by us, standard-level recommend that students be allowed to
Mathematics for the tenth grade would be clear some (up to two, perhaps) subjects at
designed for students who will not pursue the end of the XIth (or the IXth grade for
maths and the sciences further. It would the secondary exam). This would not only
focus on computation, algebra, areas, reduce stress a year later but also make for
financial maths, and interpretive better long-term learning—and cause very
statistics— quantitative methods that will little inconvenience to exam boards.
equip them for life. Trigonometry, set Allowing students to take another two
theory, logarithms, geometrical proofs, exams in the middle of the XIIth (or the
volumes, and more technical topics within Xth for secondary exam) would require
mathematics will either feature only in boards to depart from their once-a-year
 13

schedules (barring re-takes) but would lead relative performance on the mark sheet. We
to a more learner-friendly system. recommend that percentile rank be given
In general, every student should be with respect to (a) the entire universe of
given a three-year window within which candidates in that subject, (b) all candidates
all the subjects must be passed (or scores in that school, and (c) all candidates in that
improved). In any one exam session students block. A student from a disadvantaged area
should have a choice of taking no exam, all with low-quality educational infrastructure
exams, or a few exams. This reform besides who scores, say, 70% (absolute marks)
allowing for learning and testing to take would attain a percentile rank on 95%
place when a student is ready for it (rather within her block—a commendation that
than when the board decrees it on a one- deserves mention. A South Mumbai student
size-fits-all principle), also works towards at an elite school who also attains 70% may,
social justice. A large number of exam likewise, attain a percentile rank of only
candidates are trying to hold down a full- 50% within the school and 60% within the
time or part-time job while doing their block.
exams. A large number of these students While there is no way to ensure that
do not get through because they do not get colleges, junior colleges, and professional
more than a week off before the exams— courses at universities will pay attention to
hardly sufficient time for preparation for these parameters of relative merit (and it
all subjects. Allowing them, for instance, would be hard to argue that merit, in
to do two subjects in each of the three education, is not a relative concept), in their
sessions would greatly enhance their admission process it is important to make
performance. this percentile-rank data accessible to these
In the long run, the system must end-users.
gradually move toward on-demand exams
(they are usually done online, 2.5 Reduction of Exam Stress and Anxiety
internationally) taken when the candidate It should be remembered that examinations are
is ready, rather than at the convenience of artificial situations created for the convenience of
the system. We suggest a small beginning the system and not the individual learner. They are
of this in computer science exams as a pilot relied on because more holistic assessment is usually
project and its future extension to maths unviable due to cost and manpower constraints.
and physics exams. Given their artificiality and time-bound and ‘one-
4. Enhanced reporting of performance (or shot’ nature, it is not surprising that exams in their
Comparing apples with apples): Along with current form will induce anxiety. Even so, the
the absolute mark (or grade) in each subject, recent increases in news reports of students getting
it is now very easy, given computer-based seriously affected by pre-board or board
registration, to provide information of examination anxiety and committing injury to
 14

themselves or others is disturbing. We see this stress chapters. (This is a much-needed skill but
as a symptom of the malaise afflicting exams rather rarely tested in Indian board exams. If we
than the disease itself. accept Prof. Yash Pal’s contention that
As suggested above, adoption of more education is all about making lateral
comprehensive and credible system of internal linkages, all about creating ‘an ecology of
assessment would reduce some of the stress felt knowledge in the brain’, such questions are
during external exams. The choice the student surely necessary.)
would have of taking two or three of his more 3) A shift in emphasis from ‘short answers’
anxiety-inducing subjects at the easier standard level, (often requiring familiarity with two
and at a time of his convenience, would also help. obscure lines at the bottom of, say, page
In addition, we recommend the following 124) to MCQs designed to test real
measures for reducing exam anxiety and its understanding of core concepts would help
often-morbid consequences: reduce student anxiety, in addition to
1) A lot of stress is related to the excessive allowing greater differentiation at the top
length of the question papers. Shorter exams end. (Already discussed in earlier section.)
that leave time for deliberation and periodic 4) Unless the school lacks a very basic
rest would help. The exam length (usually infrastructure, students should be able to
3 hours per subject) should be reduced (to take the exam in their home school in order
2.5 hrs for higher level exams and 2 hours to reduce stress caused by additional travel
for standard level exams), remembering that and unfamiliar environments. (Discussed in
the paper setter’s quest to cover all sections a later section.)
of the syllabus is an illusory one in any case. 5) A shift in emphasis to testing competencies
As importantly, the numbers of answers and away from memory would certainly
expected and the quantity of response in reduce stress, in addition to aiding the
the given time should be reduced. Exams validity of exams. A long-term move toward
should be set so that 95% of all students open-book exams can be envisaged and is
should be able to complete it and have time one of the pilot programs mentioned at the
left for a quick review. Pilot projects should end of this report. Meanwhile, candidates
be initiated in which exams are not time- doing Chemistry paper should be given the
bound. periodic table and bond angle values;
2) Questions that require students to draw on examinees in Math and Physics should be
two or more areas of the syllabus would given some trigonometric identities and
also allow more comprehensive testing other formulae which otherwise have to be
within lesser time, in addition to learnt by rote. The focus of questions
constituting good educational practice by should, likewise, move to genuine
calling on candidates to make relevant applications from mere ‘plug-in’-type
connections between material from different problems. In history, questions which test
 15

whether students know where each of the always be some individuals who cannot
Indian National Congresses met (pure rote) demonstrate such satisfactory completion.
be replaced with questions on the They should be provided a number of
significance of key Congress sessions. chances to re-take one or more exams
Questions such as Mention eight causes of (within a three- or even a five-year period).
the events of 1857 (4 marks) set panic bells Till then, they are ‘working toward the
ringing (with the student worried that she certificate’. Even after the expiry of this
cannot remember more than five, and then window, they should be free to attempt the
bungling even these in her anxiety) and whole exam (in all subjects) again. Hence,
should be replaced with questions eliciting while it is possible to not succeed in passing
open-ended data response and analysis. For an exam, no one ever definitively (and
instance, in this case, three key paragraphs permanently) ‘fails’. We believe that the
from the 1857 Azamgarh Proclamation above distinction is meaningful, and
could be provided and students asked an considerably different from the current
open-ended question: ‘Based on this extract understanding of boards on the pass/fail
and your own knowledge, discuss whether issue.
the events of 1857 can best be described as 8) The Focus Group is not convinced that
the Great Revolt, the First War of Indian boards today work (singly or collectively)
independence, or the Sepoy Mutiny.’ This toward ensuring that the pass mark
would not only be more humane and less represents a meaningful and carefully
stress-inducing, it would also call upon calibrated cut-off designed to certify
students to organize their thoughts into an satisfactory completion of a course. In some
argument and demonstrate higher-order subjects in some boards, attaining the cut-
interpretive skills. off mark (30%, 33%, or whatever) is
6) Elimination of ‘the term fail’: We relatively trivial and does not guarantee
recommend that the word ‘fail’ not appear attainment of even a minimum competency.
on mark sheets, and be replaced by phrases In other subjects in other boards (or even
such as ‘unsatisfactory’, or, better, ‘needs the same board), the minimal competency
more work to attain desired standards’. The desired is attained even by students
word ‘fail’ carries a social stigma and often attaining 25% marks. Papers in all subjects
victimizes a student for systemic deficiencies and all boards should be designed so that
in teaching, textbook availability, etc. the pass mark is not just an arbitrary cut-
7) Elimination of the pass/fail concept by off but actually measures the attainment of
permitting repeated retakes: There is no desired competencies.
evading the fact that the purpose of board 9) Following the principle that exams are an
exams is to certify the satisfactory evil, if a necessary one, there should be no
completion of a course of study. There will exams than are strictly and absolutely
 16

necessary. The tenth grade board exam should states also now release results within 45 days from
be made optional forthwith. Tenth-graders the last exam, a significant improvement over the
who intend continuing in the eleventh grade pre-computerization norm of 60–70 days.
at the same school, and do not need the Technology has also aided the prevention of
board certificate for any immediate malpractices such as impersonation (scanned
purpose, should be free to (and encouraged photographs on both ticket and mark sheet),
to) take a school-conducted exam instead copying (electronic eyes), and influencing examiners
of the board exam. (encrypted barcodes).
Recent proposals of various boards to What we list below are some ‘best practices’
introduce board exams at various other that we recommend for adoption by all states. By
levels of primary and secondary education, its very nature, this can only be a selective list. We
however well-intentioned, will further urge COBSE to draw up a more detailed document
exacerbate the vicious cycle of over-testing outlining more such ‘best practices’. It would be
and undue anxiety, and further undermine invaluable to smaller boards and even boards with
the joy of learning and discovering. We good track records could gain a lot by studying the
recommend that such plans be dropped practices of other state boards in selected areas.
forthwith. If some schools are unable to 2.6.1 Pre-exam
conduct fair and meaningful year-end 1. Choice of exam centres: The travel
examinations, it is because there has been little convenience of students should be
investment by boards in teacher training with paramount here. During exams, students
a viewpoint to improving school-based should not be expected to travel much more
assessment, and because the tight textbook– than their daily trip to their school. When
exam nexus has increasingly rendered the a school is large enough and has the requisite
teacher a mere addendum to the learning infrastructure to be a centre, students
process. One must work toward re- should be able to appear for their exams
empowering the teacher and dis- there itself in a familiar environment. This
empowering boards—not toward further will have the benefit of reducing stress on
extending the domain of boards into the candidates. To prevent school-aided
education process. malpractices, the invigilation team should
however be largely or entirely from another
2.6 Exam Management school in the locality.
In the non-academic side of exam management, In some states, like Kerala, students
there has been a significant improvement in recent have a right to take their exam in their own
years. Aided by computer technology, the whole school—hence each school is also a centre.
process from registration to generation of exam While this should be the ultimate goal, we
tickets and generation of mark sheets has become recognize that malpractice situations in
seamless and largely error-free in many states. Most different states are different, and several
 17

schools in many states lack the requisite exam malpractice can be checked.
infrastructure. We suggest that all schools, Maharashtra has successfully implemented
public and private, which possess the a system of encrypted barcodes which hides
following facilities be authorized as centres the identity of the student (and the school
for their own students: she hails from) from not only examiners
- Compound wall but also exam board employees. When this
- Telephone is used in conjunction with another
- Power method that many states already adopt,
- Police station in the area (may be randomising of exam scripts given to any
relaxed for rural schools) particular examiner, malpractice at the level
- Photocopying facility within one km of the examiner becomes far more difficult.
(may be relaxed for rural schools) 4. Paper setting: This is a crucial area which
Schools would lose the privilege of requires far more attention than it does at
being centres if found engaging in present, and is dealt with in a separate
malpractice or found incompetent in section of this report. It only needs to be
preventing it. stressed here that the question/paper setters
2. Exams should never be postponed, as it causes must produce the initial mark scheme for
considerable hardship and unnecessary that paper in addition to the paper. Strange
anxiety to candidates and undermines their as this may sound, the two processes remain
faith in the system. In cases of flash teacher divorced at some boards. Subsequently, of
strikes, police and Zilla Parishad staff should course, the mark scheme should be edited
be mobilized and trained as stand-in by experts, very soon after exams and then
invigilators. More commonly, board exams again re-edited in light of typical student
have had to be postponed because of an responses—which may reveal ambiguities or
unforeseen holiday observed by a errors in the question paper.
community within the state. All boards 2.6.2 Conduct of Examinations
should announce the schedule of exams at 1. While flying squads are a good idea and,
the beginning of the academic year through along with public awareness, have led to a
public advertisement, and all communities decline in cheating and copying in many
invited to voice their reservations to the states—most visibly in Haryana in the last
draft schedule, if any, by the end of two years—they should minimize their
October. The dates would then be frozen. intrusiveness in the exam process. Candidates
To prevent postponements due to paper should not be disturbed in the course of their
leakage, one emergency ‘replacement’ set of exam and if disturbance must be caused (e.g.,
papers should be always be at hand. for mass checking of entry tickets to detect
3. By protecting the identity of candidates and impersonation), compensatory time should
examiners from each other, a lot of post- be given to candidates.
18

2. In general, electronic surveillance by hidden views should be taken into account while
electronic eyes and the use of technology creating the mark scheme.
such as magnetic strips on doors is less 7. One area of immediate concern is the widely
intrusive and preferable to flying squads varying concessions and facilities available
eager to make their presence felt. Costs of to students with physical or learning
renting these technological aids have fallen disabilities. Some boards have not taken up
sharply in recent years. this issue in earnest and need to be
3. A major source of cheating remains help acquainted with more progressive measures
from outside, sometimes even through taken by other boards. A separate Focus
ingenious means such as mirrors and drums. Group report deals with this aspect.
If candidates are not permitted to leave the
exam centre in the first hour, and even 2.7 Transparency and Honesty in Mark/
thereafter not permitted to carry out Grade Reporting
question papers with them, most of this can 1. As a lot is at stake in exams, it is only natural
be nipped in the bud as errant helpers on that many candidates would want to be
the outside simply would not know what doubly sure that they have not been victims
answers to provide. of systemic error. Exam boards should not
4. Seals on the question paper packet should only be transparent but also be seen to be
be opened and signed, just prior to the transparent with respect to answer paper,
exam-start, by three individuals: chief re-grading, re-checking etc. Such requests
invigilator, police/security chief of the also represent an opportunity for internal
centre, and a student candidate. Likewise, audit of systems and examiner quality. Even
answer paper packets should be sealed and so, sadly, some boards view such requests
similarly countersigned before their as a hindrance to their functioning. At the
departure from the exam hall. recent Trivandrum COBSE conference, the
5. Toilets are often used by candidates as ex-chair of an important board even
repositories of crib sheets and must be opposed a recent Supreme Court decision
monitored throughout the exam as closely that gave candidates the right to having
as the exam hall itself. question papers re-checked. “How do we
6. Responses to the paper just concluded know that the second examiner is not in
should be invited from teachers for a period error?” he asked. The inability of boards
of 24 hours. Pre-designed forms (both to find reliable senior examiners for such
physical and online) should be distributed re-checks should not be an excuse to deny
for this purpose and teachers should return students a right to transparency.
them within 48 hours of the end of an exam. 2. Requests for re-checking have declined
They are often the best judges of the length dramatically in states like Kerala, Gujarat,
of the paper, adequate syllabus coverage, J&K, and Karnataka, which have given
errors, and ambiguities in questions. These students access to their answer papers (at a
 19

charge, of course) in either scanned or level examiner (preferably one involved in

photocopied form. We laud the efforts of the preparation of the mark scheme) for
these and other states to make their systems final arbitration.
transparent. One can also be fairly sure that If the final mark changes by more than
the more casual examiners in these states 5%, there has clearly been a slip-up on the
now do their job more diligently. Greater part of the board and, as a gesture of
transparency generally leads to greater goodwill, the re-checking charges should be
accountability and efficiency. We strongly refunded to the candidate. (The argument
recommend that all other states fix their that they should be happy that their marks
systems to provide such access to students, have gone up, and should not care about
on request, at reasonable (but not the minor cost, is not germane to the issue.)
subsidized) cost. 5. To prevent frivolous grade-appeals, boards
3. Detailed mark schemes should also be made should reserve the right to raise as well as
public, and posted on official websites for lower marks/grades if the deviation upon
scrutiny, as soon as reasonably possible in re-marking is found to be greater than 5%.
the interest of transparency. Where several 6. All of the above are not alternatives to the
question papers have been used creation and maintenance of sound systems
simultaneously (to prevent malpractice), of examiner moderation, but just additional
they need to be standardised for the level safeguards. At least 10%, and preferably
of difficulty, and scaling done if one is 20%, of each examiner’s output should be
appreciably more difficult than another. sent up for moderation, and, likewise 10%–
This does not happen at several boards. One 20% of each moderator’s output sent up to
response from the board chair of a northern a senior moderator. Examiners whose marks
state is worth quoting: “The same paper are found to correlate poorly with that of
setter produced all five sets on the same day, the moderator’s (r<0.8), or where the
so we assumed they were of comparable absolute deviation exceeds 10%, should be
difficulty.” fined, as is the practice in Karnataka, and
4. Enough time (at least two weeks) should be barred from future examining. The entire
provided between the delivery of scanned/ output of ‘failed’ examiners, more
photocopied answer papers and the end of importantly, should be re-marked.
the period for appealing a grade. All Statistical methods to test and adjust for
re-marking should be done by experienced inter-examiner variation exist and should
examiners. We suggest the following: if the be employed.
first re-mark results in a total mark change 7. The above point (6) presupposes that
of less than 5%, the initial mark awarded examiners are volunteers eager to do a good
stands; if the change is between 5 and 10%, job. This can only happen if they are paid a
the new mark stands; and if the discrepancy fair wage for their important work. The
is greater than 10%, it is sent up to a high- practice of forcing teachers to examine is
20

highly unlikely to lead to good examining twenty-five scripts a day per examiner
and should be abandoned forthwith. should be imposed to prevent error due to
Furthermore, it should be recognized that fatigue.
all good teachers do not make consistent 10. Honesty in mark sheets: While the recent
examiners and vice versa. If boards pay debate around the ‘marks or grades’ issue
examiners better—and we recommend a rise has been regrettable, as it has focused
in daily wage from the low Rs 100 or 125 everyone’s (and the media’s) attention on
per day by a factor of two or three here, just one aspect of exam reform, grades do
not 10% or 20%—and weed out poorly have one clear advantage over marks. They
motivated examiners, many of the core are more honest. Given the quality of the
problems will get solved. (Given that most average examiner (often coerced into
state boards in India are in good financial marking and always poorly paid), the
health— one small state even boasts of an ambiguity of the questions, and the lack of
accumulated corpus of Rs 84 crore—funds moderation systems in most boards, the
should not be a problem.) This higher standard error of the mark awarded is high.
payment should, however, be linked to the It is therefore much more honest to declare
level of correlation between the examiner’s a grade (say 70–80% =B) than to award a
mark and the senior moderator’s. mark (say, 74). Grades also have some other
Promotion to rank of moderator or senior minor advantages over marks. For instance,
moderator should also not be merely a automatic re-grading of exam scripts can be
function of seniority but merit—as confined to those students currently at the
measured by his/her level of correlation. top end of the lower grade, that is, students
Special awards for especially conscientious for whom an error is most likely to have a
examiners should also be instituted, just as negative impact. They may also play some
for excellent teachers. role in reducing stress and in eliminating
8. If, as we recommend, state boards introduce the ‘top rankers’ game so dear to the media
more open-ended and free-response and coaching classes. At the same time, we
questions and eschew false objectification, should recognize that grades are not the
there would have to be specialist examiners panacea that some of its champions have
trained to evaluate such questions. In such made them out to be, and a transition from
cases, question-by-question marking marks to grades is a minor (if worthwhile)
is preferable to one examiner marking the exam reform at best.
entire answer paper. Some states already do We laud the work of NCERT, CBSE,
this. and the Kerala and Karnataka boards in
9. It is recommended that examiners generally popularising the virtues and reliability of
grade papers at regional centres set up for grades among the general public, even at
the purpose and not at home. A limit of the risk of negative media publicity. Even
 21

more will be needed to convince end-users, Mumbai and another a school in rural
especially universities, of the value and Mulshi are equally meritorious? Has the
necessity of grades. The issue of whether latter not had to overcome greater systemic
grades are to be based on absolute or relative odds? School boards cannot force
scales and, if the latter, whether one uses university admission committees, or the job
percentiles, stanines, or whatever needs to market, to consider these factors. But
be resolved by consensus among boards. printing this data on the mark sheet
Standardisation of a nine-point grading constitutes a start toward a fairer definition
scale, for both 10th and 12th grade exams of merit.
is also needed in order to offer inter-
board comparability of results. Till such 2.8 School-based Assessment
time as this consensus is reached, we While the primary mandate of this Focus Group
recommend that marks be reported was to suggest reforms for exams (as opposed to all
alongside grades to avoid sowing confusion. assessment), we would like to make a brief plea for
11. Transparency and fairness in mark sheets: A the importance of school-based assessment, and
reform which we believe to be of at least hope we can strengthen it in the medium term.
equal importance (as the issue of replacing 1) Continuous and comprehensive evaluation
marks by grades) is a fuller disclosure of (CCE): The group felt strongly that a
how the student fares relative to his or her school-based continuous and
peers. Now, with computerization of comprehensive evaluation system be
registration and grade reporting, it is established in order to (i) reduce stress on
possible to present a wider range of children, (ii) make evaluation
performance parameters on the mark comprehensive and regular, (iii) provide
sheet—absolute marks/grades, percentile space for the teacher for creative teaching,
rank among all candidates of that subject, (iv) provide a tool for diagnosis and for
and percentile rank among peers (e.g., rural producing learners with greater skills. The
schools in the same block). Particularly the CCE scheme should be simple, flexible, and
last parameter, we believe, is a crucial test implementable in any type of school from
of merit. For too long in India, we have the elite one to a school located in rural or
reduced merit to a single mark per subject tribal areas. Keeping in view the broad
and a single overall percentage. Merit is a principles of the scheme, each school should
rather more complicated concept. Can we evolve a simple suitable scheme involving
honestly assert that two students who both its teachers, and owned by the teachers.
attain 75% in their board exams but with 2) Issue of CCE certificate: To make CCE
one having attended a school in South effective, some weight to school-based

1
In the words of Edmund Burke.
22

assessment (SBA) should be given in the 4) Practical Examinations: The shabby

school-leaving certificate issued by State assessment of science practicals by schools,
Education Boards. The certificate of the in most boards, with a majority of
student’s performance in the school, in all candidates getting full or near-full marks
areas, should be issued along with the board (often without even the experiment having
certificate by the board. The performance taken place) is a good illustration of what
should be shown in terms of grades in each happens when boards abdicate their
area appropriate to the stage of schooling. responsibility to monitor and moderate
The two types of assessments, i.e., internal samples of school-based evaluation. The checks
and external, should, ideally, be shown suggested in the preceding paragraph need to
separately in the certificate issued by the be implemented without delay. If they
board. To begin with, 20% weightage may cannot, the farce of school-assessed practicals
be given to CCE for class X. must end and the science marks be given
3) Keeping internal assessment honest: The entirely on the basis of theory exams (which
question of how to keep schools honest in would have to then include a section on
internal grading is a burning one. Without planning experiments). It would be
guarantees of such honesty, end-users of unfortunate if it has to come to this as good
board mark sheets have little interest in it. experimentation and experimental skills are
In general, we recommend a method of at the heart of the scientific enterprise.
internal grading with external moderation Unless laboratory assessment is made less
(through random but mandatory sampling) farcical, the quality of the country’s
by the board. In other words, designated scientific manpower is under serious threat;
samples of internally assessed work must the number of students interested in
be sent to the board in each subject. In cases scientific pursuits is already stagnating in
where the board is satisfied with the quality, several states.
they should get its mark of approval.
3. CONCLUSION
Otherwise, the remark accompanying the
CCE mark on the mark sheet will read: It should be clear from the above that board
‘Declared by school with no board examinations in India need serious re-examining. This
authentication.’ In cases where quality reality is deeply at odds with the spirit of self-
standards are met but the marks awarded congratulation and ‘all is well’ at the level of many
are too high reference should be made to exam board chairs and education department
the school average for CCE—which would secretaries. Things will not improve if we continue
automatically deflate the attainment in the to drape ourselves in “the fatal shroud of complacent
eyes of the end-user in cases of over- self-esteem”10. At the same time, the Group felt
generous marking. energized by the enthusiasm for reform shown in
 23

its many encounters with school teachers across the more relevant and interesting and challenging; and
country. Such support from teachers is crucial. The spending more on education (at all levels but now
success or failure of these reforms will rest on the especially for the secondary level) will be vital.
importance accorded to teacher and examiner At the same time, it should be recognized that
training. Much time, effort, and money will need exam reform has the potential to lead educational
to be invested in such training. Much of this can be reform. It has often been lamented that in Indian
accomplished through EDUSAT and distance education the tail (assessment) has usually wagged the
learning for teacher training. The curriculum of dog (of learning and teaching). The charge is a fair
pre-service teachers will also need to be revised. For one and de-emphasising exams will certainly liberate
in-service teacher training, a certificate/diploma the learning and teaching process from its straitjacket.
course in Educational Measurement and Evaluation But this pivotal position of exams in the educational
should be started by NCERT. Reforming exams system can be used to leverage advantage—to hasten
alone will attain very little unless it is accompanied reform within Indian education as a whole. As we
by other basic reforms: improvement of teacher have seen in many other areas of government in the
training, teacher quality and teacher-student ratio. last decade, once the winds of change begin to blow
In addition, making textbooks and the curriculum they sweep most cobwebs away. The tough job is
to get them blowing.
24

APPENDIX 1

Recommended pilot programs to test some radical long-term reforms

• Pilot I: Already initiated in Karnataka, to move toward 60% or more of all exams toward
the MCQ mode.
• Pilot II: Already existing in Turkey. A minimalist end-of-school exam. One three-hour 150
MCQ exam covering all subjects studied. Its sole purpose is to validate the school-given
exam grades and to raise/lower them by a moderation factor.
• Pilot III: Open-book exams, and source-analysis based assessment. Also, exams without
time limit.
• Pilot IV: The exam system must gradually move toward on-demand exams (they are usually
done online, internationally) taken when the candidate is ready, rather than at the convenience
of the system. We suggest a small beginning of this in computer science exams as a pilot
project and its future expansion to maths and physics exams.
 25

APPENDIX 2
Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE)
The need for introducing CCE in schools in an effective and systematic manner has been
felt for a long time. As the examinations conducted by the boards of school education have
some shortcomings, greater importance is now given to CCE at the school level. Quite a
few boards have developed schemes of CCE for implementation in schools. In some cases,
the public school principals on their own have taken steps to introduce a periodic system of
testing. In some states, the Government has taken initiatives for the periodic assessment in
scholastic areas only and co-scholastic areas have been left out. CCE needs to be
institutionalised for all stages of school education. In the present set-up, more importance is
attached to the assessment by boards and school-based assessment is driven to the back seat.
The scenario is now changing. Many school education boards are now emphasising the
importance of CCE and have taken measures to implement it in schools with the cooperation
of the State Education Departments. CCE should be viewed not as an alternative but
complementary to board evaluation.
Features of CCE
a) Continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) refers to a system of school-based
evaluation of students that covers all aspects of students development.
b) The ‘continuous’ aspect of CCE takes care for ‘continual’ and ‘periodicity’ of evaluation.
c) Continual means assessment of students in the beginning of instructions (placement
evaluation) and assessment during the instructional process (formative evaluation) done
informally using multiple techniques of evaluation.
d) Periodicity means assessment of performance done frequently at the end of unit/term
(summative) using criterion-referenced tests and employing multiple techniques of
evaluation.
e) The ‘comprehensive’ component of CCE takes care of assessment of all round
development of the child’s personality. It includes assessment in scholastic as well as co-
scholastic aspects of the pupils’ growth.
f) Scholastic aspects include curricular areas or subject specific areas, whereas co-scholastic
aspects include co-curricular and personal social qualities, interests, attitudes, and values.
g) Assessment in scholastic areas is done informally and formally using multiple techniques
of evaluation continually and periodically. The diagnostic evaluation takes place at the
end of unit/term test. The causes of poor performance in some units are diagnosed
using diagnostic tests. These are purposefully re-mediated by giving interventions
followed by retesting.
h) Assessment in co-scholastic areas is done using multiple techniques on the basis of
identified criteria, while assessment in social personal qualities is done using behaviour
indicators for various interests, values, attitudes, etc.
26
 27

(b) Co-Scholastic Areas

Personal Social Qualities including

S. No. Co-Curricular Activities
Attitudes and Values
I Cleanliness
Literary
1. Reading/recitation Cooperation
2. Debate/speech Making Punctuality/regularity
3. Creative writing Discipline/obedience

II Scientific Emotional stability

1. Club activities Initiative
2. Nature study Responsibility
3. Computer literacy Diligence

III Artistic Environmental awareness

1. Drawing Tolerance
2. Painting Appreciation of good qualities
3. Embroidery Leadership
4. Craft Truthfulness
5. Sculpture Patriotism
IV Cultural Social service
1. Music (instrumental/vocal) Civic sense
2. Performing arts (dramatics/dance) Diginity of manual labour
V Physical Respect for elders/others
(games/sports and yoga)

1. Indoor Protection of environment

2. Outdoor Protection of cultural heritage
3. Yogic exercises

VI Miscellaneous
1. First aid
2. Red Cross
3. Scouting
4. NCC
5. NSS
6. Adventure activities
7. Other hobbies
28

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