DU High Cut-offs may lead to Tough CBSE Question Papers Next Year

The maddening cut-offs in Delhi University were a matter of great concern and it was time for serious introspection on this front. With daunting Delhi University college cut-offs leaving students in a fix, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) may go in for a revision of question paper design at Plus 2 level to make it more subjective. The Board’s Class XII exam scores primarily form the basis for college cut-offs.

These cut-offs are very worrying. The CBSE, state boards and the representatives of higher education institutions must seriously introspect on how to prevent such a scenario. The question paper design needs to be improved. Currently, it is objective. But we need to strike a balance between subjectivity and objectivity to ensure better gradation of our students.

The matter of cut-offs and review of question paper design at Plus 2 level will be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of COBSE (Council of Boards of School Education in India) in the Capital. The CBSE chief also said every state board should be consulted for any changes in the design because students from across the country apply for admission to DU colleges. Any positive change in this direction, it is believed, would lead to better evaluation of students and more rational cut-offs.

Already, DU Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh has said the CBSE’s high Plus 2 scores for 2011 have led to high cutoffs. As against 200 students, who scored 95 per cent plus aggregate last year, this year, 800 students had this score, forcing colleges to raise cut-offs to tame the rush for admissions.  Former V-C of Delhi University Deepak Paintal, who substantially reformed college education during his tenure, blamed the CBSE’s liberal marking system for the cut-off mess. He questioned the efficacy of the government’s move to make the Class X Boards optional and allowing teachers to do school-based assessments, saying India was not ready for such a model.

Source : The Trubule