Chennai: In a major decision that brings both the relief to lakhs of students and evokes concern among educationists, school education minister K.A. Sengottaiyan on Saturday announced that the plus-1 board exam marks will not be counted for higher studies and students will get separate mark sheets for plus-1 and plus-2 board exams.
However, he made it clear that board exam for plus-1 would continue and students clearing both plus-1 and plus-2 alone would be eligible for higher studies. According to the government order, students would get mark sheets for 600 marks each in plus-1 and plus-2 instead of consolidated mark sheets for 1,200 marks.
“The decision was taken to reduce the stress among students,” Mr Sengottaiyan said. As per the earlier announcement, the state government has announced that the higher secondary students would get consolidated mark sheets for both plus-1 and plus-2 exams.
It also converted the plus annual exam into a board exam. The move was aimed at increasing the importance for plus one subjects which were omitted by a majority of private schools.
Facing the first board exam, the plus-1 students struggled to score without blueprint as only 3.4 per cent of students alone scored above 500 marks (roughly 82 per cent) out of 600 marks. Of 5,22,352 science group, students appeared in plus-1 exams, only 18,092 students alone were able to score above 500 marks.
The poor performance of students has raised concern among the parents on their chances of getting admission in good colleges in both arts and science and professional streams.
“Our son scored over 98 per cent in class 10 exams. But he got only 80 per cent marks in plus-1 exam. We were worried that he would not get a seat in city colleges as his plus-one marks also counted along with plus 2 marks. The announcement has brought us relief,” a parent said.
Though the parents and students welcome the move, the headmasters and educationists have termed it would lead to confusion and dilution of quality. “First, the school education department has converted plus-1 exam into board exam despite opposition from teachers and parents. Now, they have announced that there will be a public exam and the marks will not be counted for higher studies. It will create confusion among students,” says educationist Prince Gajendrababu.
Education department officials said the announcement will dilute the plus-1 public exam concept. “Earlier, they need to only clear the exams and the exams were conducted at district level. Now, they have to appear for state level exam and that is the only difference,” they said. Some principals feel it would lead to complacency among teachers and students.
“There is a total transformation in the attitude of teachers and students after announcing the public exams for plus-1. Now, the announcement may create complacency,” said N. Vijayan, founder and principal of Zion Matric Higher Secondary School in Tambaram.
“Teachers and students need to be motivated by school managements. If they read public exams for plus-1. Now, the announcement may create complacency,” said N. Vijayan, founder and principal of Zion Matric Higher Secondary School in Tambaram.
“Teachers and students need to be motivated by school managements. If they read plic exams for plus-1. Now, the announcement may create complacency,” said N. Vijayan, founder and principal of Zion Matric Higher Secondary School in Tambaram.
“Teachers and students need to be motivated by school managements. If they read plic exams for plus-1. Now, the announcement may create complacency,” said N. Vijayan, founder and principal of Zion Matric Higher Secondary School in Tambaram.
“Teachers and students need to be motivated by school managements. If they read plic exams for plus-1. Now, the announcement may create complacency,” said N. Vijayan, founder and principal of Zion Matric Higher Secondary School in Tambaram.
“Teachers and students need to be motivated by school managements. If they read plus-1 subjects thoroughly they perform well in the competitive exams,” he added.
