From no exams at Class X to entrance exams for the science stream, to results based on internal assessment, the academic year 2020-21 has been one of experimentation that has still not ended. The Central Board of Secondary Education has announced that Class XII exams have also been cancelled. Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Education is yet to take a decision on this. Goa had been awaiting the Central decision before deciding what to do and is likely to follow suit. The quicker the State announces its decision on the Class XII exams, the less strain on the students who are currently uncertain of what the immediate future holds for them.
As on now, while the SSCE results will be given based on the internal assessment, some students, however, will not escape without having to study or answer an exam. Those seeking Class XI admission for the science stream or diploma courses will have to answer a 120-mark offline multiple choice question (MCQ) based entrance examination in the last week of July. As of now, there is no announcement from the Goa Board on any entrance exam to the other streams. The Board, however, has permitted students who opted for maths level 2 in the SSC (an easier paper than level 1) to be eligible for the entrance exam.
It is clear that in recent years the first choice of topscorers has not necessarily been the science stream and higher secondary schools in Goa have kept the cut off percentage for admission to the commerce and arts streams quite high. By having an entrance exam only for the science stream, the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is perpetuating society’s belief that those who opt for science are, or should be, smarter than the rest. It should have been the Goa Board’s endeavour to treat all streams on an equal basis and allow admission for these on purely the results. It can be argued that since no Class X exams were held and results are based on internal assessment, the aptitude of the student needs to be ascertained. This, however, is applicable to all streams.
Compare this admission process of the Goa Board to what the admission process of the Central Board of Secondary Education that also cancelled the Class X exams due to the second wave of the coronavirus. As in Goa Board, students of the Central Board had to earlier also opt for either the science, commerce or arts streams, but this year the Central Board has asked higher secondary schools to avoid streaming for admissions in Class XI and allow student to choose any combination of subjects without streaming. Students, therefore, can opt for any subject that is being taught in the school for their Class XI. This is an innovative system that shatters the concept that one stream is more important than the other and also gives students the flexibility to select subjects of their choice rather than be constrained to choosing from the particular stream that is offered.
Goa’s education system needs to adapt and adjust to changes quickly. When the Central Board has shown initiative to restructure courses and streams, Goa Board can follow, depending of course on whether this is advisable to have in the State. We do realise that the past academic year has not been a normal one, and the teaching faculty made the transition from offline to online classes very aptly. It wasn’t easy for them, it wasn’t unproblematic for the students either. More changes could further burden the teachers, but in a demanding year the education system managed, perhaps just about, and now as the new academic year begins later this month, the challenges have to be met with better preparedness.
