According to Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Education Minister, taking the Class 10 and 12 board examinations twice a year would not be required of pupils, and the option is being offered to lessen stress brought on by the worry over missing out on a chance.
Mr. Pradhan stated in an interview that the subject of “dummy schools” cannot be dismissed and that it is time for a serious conversation.
Like the JEE engineering entrance test, students would have the option of taking the Class 10 and 12 board examinations twice a year. They are free to select the highest score, but there will be no pressure to do so.
The alternative is being offered to lessen the stress brought on by the dread of missing a single opportunity, according to Mr. Pradhan. “Students frequently become anxious thinking they missed an entire year, their opportunity is gone, or they might have performed better.”
Board exams will be given twice a year, in accordance with the New Curriculum Framework (NCF), which was introduced by the Education Ministry in August, to provide students the best chance to do well and retain the highest grade.
The idea to have board examinations twice a year has gotten a strong reaction from students, according to Mr. Pradhan. “Following the New Curriculum Framework [NCF] was released, I met students. This has been acknowledged, and they approve of the concept. We are attempting to have the tests held twice a year beginning in 2024”, he added.
When questioned about the unprecedented number of student suicides in Kota, Rajasthan, the Minister responded, “It is a very delicate topic. No one should perish because they are our kids. Our shared duty is to make sure the pupils are not stressed.
The number of suicides among pupils in Kota this year was 23, which is a record for the nation’s coaching center. The amount was 15 the previous year. The problem of “dummy schools” has to be seriously discussed, according to Mr. Pradhan.
“The problem cannot be disregarded. The moment has come for serious debates and discussions on the matter, he remarked, notwithstanding the fact that the proportion of such kids to all pupils is not extremely high.
The Minister stated that the Center is trying to eliminate the need for coaching for pupils. Many students who want to take the NEET or JEE enroll in schools in their native states before moving to Kota to take tutoring classes. They don’t go to full-time schools; instead, they only show up for the board examinations.
Numerous experts have raised the topic of “dummy schools,” arguing that absence from school prevents pupils from developing personally and makes them feel anxious and alone.
When asked why there hadn’t been a meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) in the previous three years, Mr. Pradhan responded, “CABE is being reconstituted.”
“The requirements of today’s educational system are changing. The former edition of CABE was fairly wide. CABE has to be redesigned at a time when the new National Education Policy is causing a paradigm change.
“As the day comes to an end, CABE will assess the progress made, whether it involves new curriculum, the fresh credit system, accreditation, or any other reforms,” he remarked.
The Minister said that conversations are ongoing with a number of other nations who have shown interest and that two IITs, Delhi and Madras, are in various phases of establishing their offshore campuses.
It is being coordinated by the Ministry of External Affairs, and many possibilities and combinations are being discussed. Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar is investigating it personally. “I’m with him too,” Mr. Pradhan declared.
He said that soon after being decided, the rules for foreign institutions setting up campuses in India will be announced.
“We’re going to change the paradigm. Therefore, we shall proceed after considering all options and resolving all uncertainties. I am optimistic that the UGC will let them know shortly that the rules are being considered, he added.
When questioned about why states like West Bengal and Karnataka chose not to follow the National Education Policy (NEP), Mr. Pradhan retorted, “Their concerns seem to stem from political motives, not academic ones. I’m struggling to grasp the essence of their actual grievance,”. West Bengal has issued a substitute document. We have observed that, and 99 percent of it resembles the NEP, he remarked.
We are combining skills with education to provide students both intellectual and practical abilities in order to do this. Nearly 1,000 talent centers exist now, each with a thousand applicants. In the future, we intend to establish 5,000 such centers,” declared Mr. Pradhan, who also serves as the Minister of Skill Development.
He also stated that the Academic Bank of Credit facilitates student mobility across higher education institutions and streamlines the incorporation of skills and experiences into a credit-oriented framework.
