PANAJI
Just when the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) decided to restore the pre-pandemic single-exam format for the Class X and XII from the academic year 2023-24, the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF) recommendations to have board exams twice a year is now likely to force the Board to shift to the new format from 2025-26 onwards.
Speaking to The Goan, GBSHSE Chairman Bhagirath Shetye said the Board will take a decision on the recommendation of NCF in due course. He, however, clarified that for the current academic year, the Board will go with a single term examination conducted in March-April for Class XII and X, respectively.
Shetye said that the two examination concept, which NCF is talking about, may come into force from 2025-26 onwards and till then, the Board will go with single term examination. “These are just recommendations and not binding upon the State Board,” he said further.
In view of Covid-19 pandemic, the ‘Special Scheme of Assessment’, under which the Class X and XII Board exams were held in two parts -- first term board examination in November and second term in March-April -- was introduced in 2021-22 academic term and was later extended to 2022-23. However, owing to “stress”, the Board decided to do away with two exam concepts.
According to the NCF document, board examinations will be conducted twice a year and students will get an option to retain their best score.
Shetye said that the Board is providing an opportunity to those students who desire to improve their marks and unsuccessful students to answer supplementary exams conducted after one-month of declaration of annual exams. “We allow the students to retain the best score or marks. This system is already in place with us,” he explained.
