Promoting pupils may have long-term implications

What is your opinion on promoting students to next class without exam?

In my opinion, up to class VIII, schools can give online assessment based promotions to students, in fact the RTE Act also contains similar provisions. For students of classes IX to XII, education boards can promote them through a framework of continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) mode at wherein the onus of performance and fair judgement shall be on students and schools respectively. This CEE evaluation could be done at and by individual school level itself through online/offline open book examination provided that strong regulatory and transparency mechanism must be at place.

Tanveer Jhajj

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Online exams better option

Amid the Covid-19 crisis, online exams with updated technology and infrastructure was a better option than promotion. Students who were promoted without holding an exam were not happy with their marks given by the schools. There are some honest students who go for learning in online exams as well. Promoting students without any exam brings laziness in their attitude and makes the mind dull. Nowadays, student not ready to attend online classes and of the opinion that they will again get promoted.

MIYUSH TREHAN

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Virtual classes result in lack of conceptual clarity

Students have been attending online classes during the semester. School students may face financial or technical issues in online classes, but university students have comparatively better and easy access to mobile phones. Moreover, students joining online classes could not understand certain concepts due to lack of practicality but exams are must to promote them to next semesters. University may set an easy and average question paper which students can easily pass by studying by their own.

Amanpreet Kaur

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Promote students this year

I totally agree with the fact of promoting students this year as there were no regular studies in school. Due to the lockdown, there are many families who could not afford to pay the fees of online teaching. Moreover, some of them at least cannot afford phones, tabs or laptops for attending the online classes. In such case many students are not able to study because of shortage of money in their family. Secondly, there are many areas where efficient range is not available, in such case attending the online classes for two to three hours is next to impossible. Students who attend the online classes, some of them faces a lot of problem because of network, joint family issues, recharging etc. Eight of 10 students give their test/exam with the help of Google or their text books. Though government had announced the reopening of schools in some parts of the country, it is not safe for our children as it's their growing years of immunity and body. So, in such a terrible situation, it is much better to promote the students this year and this would be fair enough to all the students.

Simranjeet Kaur

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Country's future at stake

Covid-19 has made great loss to studies as there were no regular classes. But direct promotion to the next class cannot be the alternative. It can affect the future of students. If no exams will be there how can there knowledge be tested. So, for the sake of students, it is important to give those marks either on the basis of regular tests or online exams.

KAMALDEEP KAUR

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Conduct online tests

Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, students were promoted to next class in the last session. From safety point of view, that was fine. In my opinion this should not happen again. Although there is no regular studies in schools, there are regular online classes. The government has also taken initiative by providing education through television. Keeping in view, the first wealth is health if subjective type examinations are not possible then objective type exams can be better alternative. Exams should be conducted online through an app. Students should have to complete the exam in given time as in other online competitive exams. Link of the exam should be provided a few minutes before the exam and students will not be able to attempt it after the allotted time. This way can measure the hard work and diligence of a student for studies and prove to be just.

GURPREET KAUR

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Hold MCQ-based exam

There are so many ways by which students may be promoted to their next class amid the Covid-19 crisis. As far as students of science and commerce are concerned, there must be a provision to conduct online exams in the group of 15 students while maintaining social distancing norm. Exams must be conducted in shifts. It will lead to better results based upon their performances. In some cases if it becomes too difficult to conduct exams presenting students physically, there must be a system to conduct online by giving them some fixed time and keeping their videos on. The other way is, students must be given multiple choice questions and the invigilator must ask them online.

Farzana Khan

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Loss of academic year can affect career

Due to the pandemic and lockdown, all schools remained closed and students were not able to attend the classes. It was a natural calamity and there is no fault on the part of schools or students. Under these circumstances, the students must be promoted to the next class. If not promoted, they will lose one year from their valuable career which will affect their whole life. One year is a long period and their valuable one year of life should not be allowed to be wasted for no fault of theirs. Even though they have not studied regularly during the last year and that now regular schools have started, some essential portion of studies from the last year may be included in the syllabus of the current year to make up for the loss of studies partly. This may also require slightly longer hours in schools and this must be done with or without paying compensation to the teachers. After all, they also have some moral responsibility toward the students and nation building.

Gautam Dev

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Don't compromise with quality of education

There are two fold aspects in this issue. First, from the point of view of students and second, from the point of view of ethics in the education system. It is very difficult for the students who can't afford costly information technology to attend the classes. Teachers have done their best to provide quality education to the students. Without proper guidance and study it is unfair to promote the students in next class when they don't have enough knowledge of the education in previous class. It is against the ethics and value system in education. But from students' point of view, it is the question of their precious year which should not waste at any cost. So, students can be promoted but one thing is to make sure to cover the syllabus and provide knowledge in the next academic session. Syllabus must be reduced as far as possible. Quality of education must not be sacrificed at any cost neither the time nor year of the students.

Ritu Priya

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Take exam of students in higher classes

As we all are aware that at this time, we are studying virtually this may be a beneficial for some and challenging for others. According to me, different age groups need to be promoted differently. Every age has their own specification and important as we all know that these kids need to be taught so perfectly such that their future is secured. I feel personally that students of lower classes must be promoted on the basis of online examinations and oral tests virtually. Students of higher classes must be well-prepared and their examinations must be taken in their institutes on alternative days with different sets of paper. Education today has become secondary but it's still important. Institutes must increase the percentage of attendance that is mandatory such that the importance and value of studies is felt.

Simarjot Kaur

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Cut syllabus size

Promotion of students of higher classes without offline/physical mode of examination is not a good way. It is an injustice with intelligent students. Also, online mode of examination at home is not a good option for testing knowledge of students. It is just a joke on the name of exams. There should be offline exams. It can be conducted by making groups of students. Syllabus can be reduced and only important facts should be asked in exam. So, that the real knowledge of students can be checked.

Arshgill

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Offline exams should be conducted

The pandemic of Covid-19 has not only put our lives out of gear, but it has also affected the academic standard of our country which was already in doldrums. At this time of crisis when no offline classes were held, promoting the students to the next classes will be a Herculean task, especially when we know that practically online classes or examination could do only a little good. So, in such a scenario a detailed plan needs to be chalked out for each and every standard to test the pupils to be eligible to be promoted to the next classes. By God's grace if the situation improves, which in my opinion is already improving, then offline exams should be conducted for the purpose may be with reduced curricula as it is planned for classes X and XII by the CBSE. Any promotion without exams or online exams will be a futile exercise as there will not be any authenticity. So, offline exams following the Covid-19 guidelines in letter and spirit seems to be the best option.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi

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Exam must in students’ life

At no cost the students should be promoted to the next class without taking final exams. It will be a retrograde step and indeed will be quite demoralising for those who have been burning midnight oil doing preparation for months in spite of all odds. If there are no exams only the shirkers and non-serious students will be happy. Although due to the current pandemic no regular classes could be held, but most of the institutes arranged online classes for the pupils. Exams are a part and parcel of life and the students should always face them as a challenge. Either the authorities should arrange online exams or open-book exams for the students this year.

Dr Sunil Chopra

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Hold exam in blended mode

Some problems are manmade and some are not. The spread of Covid-19 is a big natural disaster. Each nation is putting its best effort to control it. The effect of this variety was felt in each and every sector of the economy and the education sectors was also not left from its ill effects. Various states were bound to promote students without conducting examinations except some exit classes. But this is not the good criteria to measure the best and good student in studies. There must be a provision to conduct exams physically of some important subjects in each class by keeping in view the Covid norms, so that a better assessment may be made. Practical exams must be conducted in schools and colleges maintaining social distances. Proper grading systems should be adopted while promoting students. Some students who have to compete competitive exams must be given good grades based on their past performance to conduct exams online is not a good criteria there must be a blended system of both physical as well as online exam to promote students. Students should not be promoted without any exam whether it is conducted online or offline.

Dr Mohd Saleem Farooqui

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OPEN HOUSE COMMENT
Offline exams must for better evaluation
Shivani Bhakoo

Amid the Covid-19 crisis, life has totally changed. Digital world has definitely gained popularity. As far as studies of school students are concerned, there were online studies throughout the new session, which was a big change for the students, teachers and parents. But by the end if the year, physical exams will be mandatory.

Educationists believe that it was a different experience for all. Though online studies saved a precious year of students, at the same time the seriousness towards studies was missing among students, many of whom took the classes lightly.

Keeping in mind the overall year of performance of student, offline exams should be taken by students for getting promoted to the next class, excluding board classes, where boards will conduct offline examinations, feel the teachers as well as many parents.

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OPEN HOUSE QUESTION

What steps should be taken by the Health Department for smooth administration of Covid vaccine? [email protected]