CBSE makes big announcement, issues changes in assessment, evaluation for new academic session

In accordance with the New Education Policy (NEP), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced new changes to the evaluation and assessment process for the next academic session. 

As per updates, the evaluation criteria, released by the CBSE on April 22, details further changes in line with the board’s move to Competency Based Education or CBE.

 As per the notification from the CBSE, more competency-based questions or questions that assess the application of concepts in real-life or unfamiliar situations will be part of the question papers of Classes 10, 12 board exams and Classes 9, 11 final exams.

In the letter to the heads of all CBSE-affiliated schools, the CBSE has laid out the changes for the new academic session and said that it would be introducing Competency Based Questions. This would be about 30% for Classes 9 & 10 and 20% for Classes 11 & 12.

As per the notification, for Classes 11 and 12, there will be 20 per cent competency-based questions, 20 per cent objective type questions and the remaining 60 per cent will be short and long answer type questions. However, the overall marks and duration of examination 
will remain unchanged.

In the letter to the schools, the CBSE said that the competency-based questions could be in the form of Multiple Choice Questions, Case-Based Questions, Course-Based integrated questions or any other types. Besides, the CBSE would continue with Objective Type questions as well as Short and Long Answer Type Questions.

CBSE Evaluation Criteria 2021-22 (Classes 9 to 12)

Classes IX – X
Competency Based Questions - 30%
Objective Tive Questions - 20% 
Short/ Long Answer Questions - 50%

Classes XI – XII
Competency Based Questions - 20%
Objective Tive Questions - 20%
Short/ Long Answer Questions - 60%

As per the order from the CBSE, the schools have been asked to prepare the students with regards to the changes as defined by the board. The CBSE in the days to come will also release Sample Papers.

Last year, the CBSE had reduced the syllabus of the senior classes by 30 per cent to make up for the academic loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the curriculum for 2021-22, those deleted chapters have been restored.

However, the CBSE is yet to decide on the evaluation and assessment for CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2021, which were cancelled due to the pandemic. Also, another decision on the CBSE Class 12 Board Exams 2021 dates would be taken after review in the first week of June.