New Delhi: Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday suggested promoting the Class 10 and 12 students on the basis of their internal exams performance as it will not be feasible to conduct the remaining board exams anytime soon.
Sisodia made the suggestion during a video conference hosted by Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ with state Education Ministers.
In a series of tweets, Sisodia also said that for the next year, the entire syllabus should be reduced by at least 30 per cent.
“The NCERT and CBSE should reduce the syllabus of the next academic cycle by 30 per cent in all the classes. The reduced syllabus of class 12 should also be applicable on the entrance exams for the session 2021-22,” he said.
Sisodia said for the next academic year, all the assessments should be conducted from the 70 per cent syllabus that will be taught to the students.
“Same 70 per cent syllabus should be the basis of entrance exams like JEE, NEET, etc for their competitive exam in 2021.”
Noting that at least 83 papers, including 26 important papers for the board classes, were remaining, he said: “It will not be possible to carry out the remaining exams of Class 10th and 12th in CBSE, so children should be passed on the basis of the internal exams as the children of Class 9th and 11th have passed.”
Seeking to explain the rationale of not conducting any further board exam this year, Sisodia said that due to the need of social distancing, it will not be feasible to conduct remaining exams for Class 10 and 12 students even in May-June. “Having exams thereafter will heavily delay the next academic cycle.”
Other states have their own state boards but Delhi has the CBSE as its board. Most students of CBSE come from Delhi, he said.
“Therefore, I appeal to the Union HRD Minister that CBSE be asked to take a similar route for promoting the students as it proposed for classes 9 and 11,” Sisodia said.
Students up to class 8 have been promoted to the next class on the basis of the Right to Education Act.
The Delhi government has also asked for three hours time daily on Doordarshan and AIR FM so that the teachers of Delhi government can run an on-air class for all children.
“The impact of the Corona virus on education and the economy will last long, we must prepare to minimise damage,” Sisodia added.
The HRD Minister had called a meeting with the Education Ministers of the states and the Union Territories to take stock of the status of the ongoing online education system for the students amidst the lockdown and shutdown of schools due to the COVID-19.
During the discussion, Sisodia highlighted that the Delhi Education Department is working with best organisations in the education domain to smoothly transition into online mode of education.
“We are using the online medium and collaborating with the best organisation to conduct online classes for our students. But I would further want to request the MHRD to provide us with Doordarshan and AIR slots for broadcasting our own classes.”
Sisodia urged for separate slots for elementary, secondary and senior secondary education.
“If you grant us the slots, we will have our teachers on board to conduct the classes and air as per our lesson plan,” he said.
Sisodia said in the Delhi Government schools, among secondary and senior secondary grades, about 68 per cent students have access to smartphones at their home.
“As soon as the lockdown reduces, then I doubt that even those 68 per cent students will have access to a smartphone. So it is very important for us to reach the parents and the students through the medium of Doordarshan and All India Radio with our classes and content,” said Sisodia.
