Assam announces evaluation process for Class X, Class XII students; Special Examination essential for job seekers

Department of Education, Government of Assam declared the evaluation process that will be followed to assess the students of Higher Secondary School Leaving Examination (Class X) and Assam Higher Secondary (Class XII).

Based on the recommendation of Department of Health, Government of Assam, the Education Ministry of the state decided to cancel the final examinations of both Class X and Class XII. A committee was formed to come up with an evaluation process. The committee submitted the report which Education Minister, Ranoj Pegu said that the government of Assam has approved.

For the Class X students, 40% of the evaluation will be done on the basis of marks obtained in Class IX’s board examination. 40% weightage will be given to the internal examinations including pre-board examination of Class X. Remaining 20% has been left for the respective schools to mark on the basis of attendance and other such internal assessment parameters.

Covid has jeopardised examination system last year too. Keeping that in mind, the Education department announced that for the students in schools where class X internal assessment marks are not available, 70% evaluation will be on the basis of marks obtained in each subject in class IX and remaining 30% will be based on the assessment of the school. The department said that it has records of marks obtained class IX for most students.

For higher secondary students of Science, Commerce, Arts and Vocational streams and the evaluation process has been divided into two broad categories – subjects with practical and without practical.

The department announced that subjects that have practical examination, will be evaluated on the basis 50% from the best of three subjects in class X, 30% based on practical marks and 10% will be marked by the respective Senior Secondary Schools on the basis of internal assessment parameters like attendance. Remaining 10% of the marks will be given by the council on the basis of the marks obtained out of 90. So, out of 90 if a student gets 90 which is 100%, the student will get 100% of the remaining 10 marks too which means 10.

For the subjects that do not have practical examination. 50% evaluation will be on the basis of the best scored three subjects in class X and internal assessment will be 40%. 10% marks will remain with the council that it will distribute based on the marks obtained out of remaining 90. For vocational, 50% from class X will remain the same and 40% will be evaluated based on marks obtained in practical examinations.

The minister informed that the respective education bodies will declare the results by July 31 and the reason behind coming up with an immediate assessment process is to “ensure that there is no loss in academic calendar.”

Ranoj Pegu said, “If someone is not satisfied with the evaluation process they can appear for the examination. The examination will be conducted by SEBA and AHSEC respectively. Our aim is to conduct the Special HLSC and Special AHSEC by September 2021. No additional fee needs to be paid for sitting at the special examination.”

The minister informed that the special examination is important for candidates aiming to apply for government jobs that have Class X and Class XII as significant selection criteria. “Assam Government Departments where Class X or Class XII marks are a factor of evaluation will not consider the assessment marks for job. Like TET or other such departments that hire on the basis of marks obtained in Class X and Class XII. Those who aim to apply for such government jobs must sit for the special examination,” asserted the Minister.

The minister added that the department of education is “helpless”. “If we don’t conduct examination and accept the assessment marks we will be subject to litigation. Applicants of other batches will question how we can assess the ones who didn’t sit for examination and the ones who sat for the offline examination for the same job. That is why the special examination becomes important,” said the minister.

He concluded by saying that the Education Department is committed to conduct the examination within September 15, 2021, but in case, the government does not allow keeping the Covid situation in mind, the Department of Education will conduct the examination in 2022. “The special examination will be held and interested applicants can sit, they won’t have to pay any additional fee,” Assam’s Education Minister said.