Exam board displays grace in admitting SSLC mistakes

Exam board displays grace in admitting SSLC mistakes


Bangalore: The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) is thinking of again awarding grace marks to students who have taken the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations. At least six extra marks may be given for the three core subjects (Maths, Social Science and Science).
The board had stopped the practice three years ago. But, this year, officials said, it was considering giving grace marks for two reasons: the change in the exam pattern and the “mistakes” in question papers.
“In the three previous years, the exam pattern followed had more of multiple-choice questions and it was easier for students to score marks,” a senior board official said. “The board had, therefore, not given grace marks,” the official said. “But, this year, the exam pattern was different, with 75 marks being set aside for descriptive-type questions. Hence, the board is mulling over giving grace marks.”
Board officials said there were “a number of mistakes” in the Maths, Social Science and Science question papers. Many teachers had complained that most of the questions in the exam did not follow the pattern in the model question papers provided to schools, the officials said.
As per the model question paper, the ‘match-the-following’ question in Social Science was to be based on chapter seven. But, in the exam, the question was from chapter three, the officials said.
They said teachers found the highest number of mistakes in Maths. “Thirteen questions were not as per the model paper provided by the board,” a teacher who submitted these findings to the minister said. “There were even some wrong problems. These had caused confusion among students.”
Sources close to state primary and secondary education minister Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri also said that there were mistakes.
“The feedback the minister got from teachers from all the zones said that the Maths, Science and Social Science papers were not according to the model question paper,” a senior official said.
A decision on how many grace marks are to be given will be taken after the evaluation process is completed. “Most of the time, grace marks are allotted based on the overall pass percentage. This year, too, that would be the parameter followed,” an official said.
KSEEB director MN Baig refused to divulge details about the board’s opinion on grace marks. “The discussions are confidential and none of us is allowed to talk about it,” Baig said. The board usually announces grace marks at the time of declaring results.

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