What is Moderation Policy of CBSE

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has discontinued its marks moderation policy. The policy has created a flurry all over social media and among students who are anxiously awaiting their board exam result. CBSE removed the Marks Moderation Policy this year in order to keep the percentage of students scoring more than 95 per cent marks in check. However, with most of the state boards retaining the grace marks policy at least for this year, it is reported that state board students would have an upper hand in under graduate admission this year.

One of the prominent questions which is plaguing students is what is Marks Moderation Policy? Well, it’s basically a provision of providing grace marks to students who are falling short of a few marks from passing the board exam. The moderation policy also makes provision for giving grace marks to students for extra difficult questions in the question paper or for any question with errors.

According to the provision, upon receiving enough complaints about difficulty level of questions in any subject, CBSE would form an expert panel which would then determine what grace marks to provide for such questions to each student. The policy had resulted in inflation of students who scored more than 95 per cent marks between 2008 to 2014.

‘Moderation’ is a practice adopted by most school education boards to bring uniformity in the evaluation process. Marks scored by students in Class X and XII are tweaked to align the marking standards of different examiners, to maintain parity in the pass percentage across years, to compensate for difficulties students may face in answering a question in the specified time, and to make up for the differences in the difficulty levels of different sets of question papers in the same subject. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) started moderation in 1992, after it introduced multiple sets of question papers.

To bring uniformity in results and to make up for the differences in the difficulty levels of different sets of question papers in the same subject, education boards across India adopted the policy. CBSE first adopted the practice of moderation in 1992. Last month, all 32 Boards have agreed to adopt the NCERT curriculum for subjects such as science and mathematics.

CBSE’s decision making it difficult for other Boards

The news is going around everywhere that CBSE has taken a decision of scrapping moderation policy. On 24^th April CBSE has decided with other boards that there will be no moderation policy that means no extra marks will given to the students for their board exams. This decision of CBSE has caused a lot of problem not only to the CBSE students but also other educational boards.

Delhi High Court Response to CBSE Decision

After filling a petition by a parent and lawyer Delhi High Court has asked CBSE to implement the decision from next year otherwise it will have a drastic change on students. Delhi High Court has declared the CBSE’s decision “unfair” and “irresponsible”. The CBSE has said that there will be no extra marks policy valid for the students and not for those also who have appeared for the 2016-17 board exams. CBSE has made its decision after the student had appeared for the exam which is why it is not appropriate to implement the decision added by High Court, as it will affect the students in a drastic way.

Impact of moderation policy

Many state boards has already declared their class 12 result and has decided to implement the changes made by CBSE board starting from next academic year, so the students from these boards will get more benefit out of others. Due to the case of moderation policy, late result expected. CBSE students may face problems for seeking admission in universities because most of other education board students has already get their result and will likely to get admission in universities easily. There is also news that CBSE has asked Delhi University to give relaxation to the CBSE students, and yet nothing done in this regard.

In April CBSE with other boards has decided to scrap the moderation policy under which students are usually given extra marks for attempting difficult question. The inflated score, in turn, force colleges to set their cut off list high, so scrapping moderation policy will bring down the cut off list which will make things easy for students. Everyone seems to be opposing the decision of scrapping moderation policy.

The fuss over moderation policy making it even worse for the students. With CBSE board there are other school boards that are likely to delay their result. It’s not just CBSE students but there are other board students who are facing problem due to the grace marks policy. The UP board has also decided that they will not declare their result till CBSE takes decision.

CBSE decision has brought confusion on all other education boards. There are seven education boards that have already declared their result based on the understanding of not moderating marks which is causing problems. After concerning HRD ministry “result should not be delayed because of this issue” has added. The result is still on hold, CBSE board is not going to declared decision until a final decision taken. CBSE board will not be able to follow the High Court decision because if it does, then there could be issues with other boards who have announced their results. The Delhi High Court has confused the whole issue.