Classes V, VIII exam results contradict education report

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 30

Results of final examinations of Classes V and VIII, which were declared today and wherein government school students performed extremely well, may appear satisfying at the first instance.

However, if compared with figures in the Annual Status of Education Report on Punjab schools released a year ago, statistics of results have raised more questions than answers.

In the results announced today, the state Education Department announced that of the total 2.14 lakh and 2.21 lakh students, who appeared in Classes V and VIII exams, respectively, just 3.12 and 3.1 per cent students secured less than 33 per cent marks.

This means that only 3.12 per cent students failed to clear the passing threshold, although there is no provision to detain students if they secure less than 33 per cent.

A total of 2,14,053 students appeared in Class V exams in the state out of which as many as 42,128 students scored 80 per cent or above marks.

The total number of students who appeared in Class VIII exams was 2,21,716 of which 24,567 scored 80 percent or above marks.

However, the picture is not so rosy if one peruses the ASER report based on the detailed study of Punjab schools located in 19 districts of the state.

The report revealed that a large number of students, especially of Class V, miserably performed in basic exercises such as Punjabi reading, English reading, identification of letters and words, subtraction and division.

Expert speak

“Such results depend on the level of difficulty of examination and how teachers check these papers. It is unbelievable that around 60 per cent students secured more than 60 per cent marks. Rather, reports like ASER offer more authentic picture,” said Dr Pyare Lal Garg, former registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences and former consultant to the Literacy Mission. Education Minister Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.