Students must undergo mandatory school assessment in 4 skill-based subjects
PANAJI
In a major sigh of relief, the Class X repeaters will be considered under the newly introduced ‘Compensation Scheme’ provided they undergo mandatory school assessment consisting of four skill-based subjects. The scheme has been implemented from the current academic year onwards.
The Academic Council of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) during its meeting held on Tuesday approved the move to scrap age-old grace marks scheme while introducing Compensation Scheme. The scheme which was supposed to be applicable to only those students who are remarked as “needs improvement”, has now been extended to the repeaters.
The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) have already announced March 2, 2026 as a tentative date for commencement of Class X Board exam and a new student assessment pattern has been released. As against the earlier six subjects, the students will have ten subjects that include four skill-based subjects. Also, from this year, History and Geography is merged as a single subject ‘Social Science’.
The ten subjects are divided into Scholastic subjects - Language 1, 2, 3, Social Science, Science and Mathematics and Skill-based subjects are Interdisciplinary area, NSQF/Others, Art Education and Physical Education.
Speaking to The Goan post meeting, GBSHSE Chairman Bhagirath Shetye said that the decision is a win-win situation for the repeaters, who will be able to clear their subjects, if they score a minimum of 65 per cent in two skill subjects and minimum of 50 per cent in the remaining two skill subjects. He said that a student, who wants to clear two subjects, will be declared pass even if he or she clears in one subject, but fulfils the criteria under school assessment.
“School assessment throughout the academic year is mandatory for repeaters if they want to opt for a compensation scheme. In line with Grade IX, the Board will set a common paper for school assessment for Class X too. The respective schools will have to undertake the assessment,” Shetye said.
As reported earlier, the students with grades H or I in one or two Scholastic subjects with school assessment and the new scheme allows upgradation of any two subjects from among the six scholastic subjects to such students.
As per the assessment pattern, each scholastic subject is evaluated out of 100 marks with 80 marks for the theory and 20 marks for internal assessment, including periodic tests, notebook submissions, practical, etc except for Science, where the theory comprises 70 marks while 30 marks for internal assessment. For the skill-based subjects, the assessment covers 60 marks while the theory component is 40.
Meanwhile, the Academic Council approved the proposal to merge History and Geography as a single subject of social science along with a new Marathi text book ‘Gomant Dhara’ for Grade IX.
