The School Education Department of Chhattisgarh has issued new directives for conducting centralized board exams for classes 5 and 8, following a recent decision by the state cabinet. Orders have been sent to all district collectors and district education officers (DEOs) to implement the changes.

Background

The board exams for classes 5 and 8 were discontinued in the 2010-11 academic year under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which ensured that no child would fail or be expelled from school during their primary education. However, concerns about the decline in academic quality due to the absence of evaluations have led the government to reinstate these exams.

Key Features of the New Policy

Regular Exams Each Academic Session: Centralized exams will now be conducted annually for students in classes 5 and 8.

Re-Examination Opportunity: Students who fail the annual exams will be given another chance to pass through a supplementary exam within two months of the result announcement. No student will be expelled from school until they complete their primary education.

Exam Implementation: The exams will be held across all government, private, and grant-in-aid schools affiliated with the Chhattisgarh Board. The responsibility for maintaining confidentiality and ensuring the quality of the exams lies with the district education officers.

No Exam Fees: Students will not be charged any fee for participating in these exams.

Schedule and Timetable: The exams will be conducted in March, and the Directorate of Public Instruction will release the detailed timetable.

Significance

The reintroduction of board exams aims to improve the academic standards and accountability in primary education. It provides a structured assessment framework, ensuring students achieve a basic level of competence before progressing to higher classes.

The Education Department has emphasized that these changes are designed to strike a balance between maintaining academic rigor and ensuring every child has access to uninterrupted education.