NEW DELHI: The current batch of Class XII students have found themselves in a first-of-its-kind scenario — appearing for the board exams twice and giving Common University Entrance Test (CUET) to get admission for higher studies.
But their rigour hasn’t ended there. On Monday, University Grants Commission (UGC) announced that Class XII marks would have no weightage for admission in universities, leaving students, parents and educators surprised.
As UGC wanted private/deemed and state universities to join the entrance exam, they changed the name of Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) to CUET.
Dilshad Ahmed, a Class XII humanities stream student of a government school in northeast Delhi was very disappointed. He wished to get admitted to Delhi University to study Economics (H). “Why did we appear for two board exams if our marks would not be considered for admission? It’s such a wrong time to announce as who will have the motivation to study now,” he said.
Class XII term-II exams begin on April 26 and end on June 15. CUET is likely to be in the first week of July.
Another parent, whose son was looking to study psychology (H), said, “We were hoping that some weightage would be given to Class XII marks. This is very disappointing since my son had done his board exams quite well. If not DU, then hopefully being a Delhi resident he could try Ambedkar University.”
Anu Singh Lather, vice-chancellor of Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD), said the varsity would take a call on subscribing to CUET depending on clarifications from the Centre.
“One thing is for sure that we will be conducting entrance tests for admission. If not CUET, we will be holding our own entrance exams. While we will have to deliberate on the weightage to be given to Class XII board exam marks, I personally feel only entrance test scores should be considered. Aligning the scores, otherwise, is complicated. Test scores can be composite ones, similar to what is done internationally,” added Lather.
School principals, however, were divided on whether not giving weightage to Class XII marks would reduce the relevance of the board exams.
Tania Joshi, principal of The Indian School, said, “If no weightage is given to Class XII board results, then it will no longer have any value and its effectiveness will decrease. There might be several students who are not solely aiming for the common entrance test and could have other plans. Results of Class XII are something that stay for life and are often brought up during job interviews. When we write recommendations for students who wish to go abroad, their performance in classes XI and XII is considered. I’m hoping some sanctity is maintained.”
Priyanka Gulati, principal of The Evergreen School, said, “Students are anyway preparing for their term-II exams, so that will help them in the common entrance test too. Only those who study properly will be able to crack the entrance test.”
AK Jha, principal of Government Sarvodaya Co-Ed Vidyalaya, Sector 8, Rohini, said the significance of Class XII exams would continue as a lot of conceptual questions were asked from its syllabus in competitive exams. “Not all students go to college. Some join small companies or work in shops where they are invariably asked their Class XII score. The relevance is bound to be there,” he added.
