Education Department Releases New Curriculum Framework(NCF): Board Exams Twice A Year to Be Conducted

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), state agencies, and other school boards must make significant changes to how board exams are conducted starting in 2024, according to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF) 2023, which was announced by the education ministry on Wednesday.

These include eliminating courses including science, commerce, and the humanities, holding board exams twice a year, defining how board exams should change over the next ten years, and easing exam requirements starting in 2024.

The modifications are being made, according to the new National Curriculum Framework 2023, to “eliminate the need for studying large amounts of material at once,” hence “reducing the need for coaching.”

The NCF stated that rather than months of coaching and memorization, the board tests will primarily aim to assess comprehension and achievement of competence.

The Following is a List of the Top Five Changes Suggested in the NCF 2023.

1. Twice-a-Year Board Exams

All school boards are expected to hold board exams twice a year, according to the National Curriculum Framework 2023. As a result, pupils would be allowed to sit for board exams twice a year, like the CBSE board test 2024.

Even though board exams are scheduled to be administered twice a year, the students’ highest score will be used as the board exam’s final score in 2024.

According to the NCF, all students would be permitted to take board exams at least twice during any given school year, with only the best score being kept. This will further diminish the “high stakes” nature of board exams.

According to the NCF, the existing format of board exams makes it possible for poor performance on a single day to have a significant impact on the outcomes of the board tests, which are only held once a year. Students will have the chance to raise their grade if two board exams are held each year.

2. Board Exams Will Become Simpler.

According to the NCF 2023, all board exams, such as the CBSE board exam 2024 and state board exams offered by the Rajasthan board, Uttar Pradesh board, and other boards, should work to make board exams simpler for students.

The education policy states that this should be accomplished by testing fundamental ideas and skills across disciplines without “any compromise on assessing genuine learning.” This is done, in accordance with the new curriculum structure, to get away from rote learning.

3. Every Ten Years, Board Exams Will Be Replaced.

The National Curriculum Framework 2023 also suggested that in ten years, board exams—whether they are given twice a year or annually—should be replaced by “modular exams.” Students can take tests on a subject quickly after they’ve covered it in class thanks to modular exams.

Annual or biennial board exams will be replaced by “modular exams” over the following ten years. Shortly after studying a subject in class, students will take a test on it.

Additionally, NCF recommended that all school boards eventually offer “on demand” exams, allowing students to sit for tests on a particular subject whenever they are prepared.

Cumulative results will be used to determine final grades. NCF suggests developing capable assessment tools to simplify this process. “The rigorous annual examination format should give way to more flexible exam administration in due course. Boards have the option of offering modular exams rather than a single exam at the end of the year.

These may be made available throughout the year. Exam bodies ought to eventually build the capacity to provide exams “on demand.” The total score from all the exams will be used to determine the final certification.

4. The Replacement of the Streams of Science, Art, and Commerce

The NCF has suggested doing away with the strict division of disciplines into categories like science, the arts, and commerce. In their stead, four “groups” of subjects will be available for students to choose from. Languages are in Group

Education in the arts, physical education, and vocational training make up Group 2. Group 3 includes transdisciplinary and social science fields. Science and mathematics are in group 4.

Students in the 12th grade must choose two languages from Group 1 and then four subjects from at least two of Groups 2 through 4. Group 2 subjects like art, physical education, and vocational education would use local assessments rather than centralised ones.

The NCF also recommended that schools be ready to provide courses from at least two of groups 2, 3, and 4 right once. Schools should be prepared to provide courses from all four groups within five years.

Within ten years, all curricular areas should be covered by the number of subjects taught in schools, and students should have the opportunity to take courses from all four groups.

Changes to the Curriculum: Classes 11, 12, and 13 Must Study Two Languages.

All Class 11 and 12 students must now learn at least two languages, including one Indian language, according to the new curricular framework. Currently, students can only choose one language.

This alternative should be made instantly available to pupils beginning with the 2024 board exams, according to NCF 2023. As soon as this NCF is put into place, “schools and examinations boards should be ready to offer a minimum of two languages for Classes 11 and 12,” it states.