BENGALURU: The upcoming examinations scheduled for students from grade 4 to 9 in state’s schools will see candidates darkening the little circles, rather than giving the classic descriptive answers. Bidding goodbye to essay-type questions, the Education Department has now decided to introduce the OMR-method of answering for schoolchildren.
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has notified all Block Education Officers (BEOs), heads of various sections and headmasters/headmistresses on the changes being brought in in the examination system. The exams, according to the circular, will take place on October 27 and 28. While students of classes 4 and 5 will take four exams in two days, students from grades 6 to 9 will appear for six exams. Each paper will carry questions for 30 marks and will have 24 questions (18 one-markers and 6 two-markers).
President of the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association Basavaraj Gurikar said that the proposal by the Karnataka School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Council (KSQAAC) should have been discussed with teachers and institution heads before the DPI took the final decision. “It has come too fast, leaving very little time for teachers and students to prepare for the new scheme. If not the exam pattern, the authorities should have discussed at least the dates for the exams before finalising the schedule,” he said.
The OMR pattern, according to an official from the department, will help KSQAAC collect crucial data for the annual State Learning Achievement Survey. Lately, the same pattern has been run for students in grades 4 and 6. However, teachers are worried about the students getting familiar with the new system and the “tight” schedule. “Attending six exams in just two days, that too soon after the Dasara vacation will exert a lot of pressure on young minds. We’ll have to wait and see how many will actually attend the exams,” said Rama Devi, a government school teacher. She said that the timetable will also create discomfort for students as they will miss the “vacation mood” and worry about taking exams soon after schools reopening.
“We have already passed midway through September and the department has not communicated anything regarding training teachers and invigilators for conducting exams with the new pattern. The students and the teachers are equally confused on this sudden move,” said a headmaster of a government school in Anekal. As many as 37 lakh students from classes 4 to 9 are expected to be part of the new exam method.
