Chennai: Academicians say that the state government can consider awarding grades to class X students than marks as it would help relieve mark-related stress on students. Pointing out that the grade system worked fine in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools, V. Venkatachalam, Dean at Vels Group of Schools, said CBSE system provided flexibility in education system with a continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) of a student’s knowledge on a regular basis.
“With grade system in practice, CBSE students did not have any pressure chasing marks but in the state board system students and parents looked at marks as their yardstick. Parents’ mindset should change for the grading system. Parents compared students with marks but if grading was implemented, students who scored 90 to 95 will get the same grade. So there there was no question of comparison,” he said.
Eminent academician Jayaprakash A. Gandhi was of the opinion that school education department should try new things every year. They should try introducing grade system for class X next year.
“Government should try implementing the system next year with grade and marks together so that it would know how effective the system works for the state board,” Mr Gandhi said. However K. Vasudevan, Correspondent of Prince Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Ullagaram, said grading would work only for students who scored less marks as they would get equated with students who had obtained more marks; but for top scoring students this might not work.
