CBSE Board Exams Twice a Year 2024-25

CBSE will conduct board exams twice a year from session 2024-25. Although it is purely optional to appear in both exams yet 10th-grade students will not miss any chance to perform better. So, most of them may appear for both exams as they will have the option to retain their best score out of these two exams. Let us understand the Pros and Cons of having CBSE board exams twice a year.

Advantages of having Two Board Exams

CBSE will conduct board exams twice a year. The education minister says that it will reduce exam stress among students and they will get a second chance to improve their performance. Here are a few advantages of having board exams twice a year.

Reduce Exam Stress

If you have only one chance, you will definitely have more stress but if you know that you are getting another chance as well, you will surely feel relaxed. Conducting board exams twice a year will give students more time to work on their weak areas and they can perform better in the next exam.

 Another Chance to Improve

If you do not score the expected marks in the first exam you have a choice to sit in the second board exam. Although, a similar option is already there. You can apply for an improvement exam next year but practically it doesn’t make any sense because it is being conducted next year. So, the new format of examination will give you another chance to improve your score within the same academic year. It is the best thing we observed about the proposal of two board exams in a year.

Better Understanding for First Timers

Especially class 10th students who are taking the board exam for the first time, it is an anxiety killer. They will certainly feel cool and calm. They can use the first attempt to understand the pattern and prepare well for the second attempt.

Good Option for Class 10th Students

As you know, stream selection is done based on class 10 board exam marks, it is a good option for class 10 students. They will have a second attempt to improve their scores. Also, if they have performed well in 2 subjects, they can work hard in the remaining 3 subjects.

Disadvantages of having two board exams

A large number of teachers and parents are opposing this move. It will not only increase the burden on school administration but also make students stressful. They have to complete the syllabus 2-3 months earlier. Students will have to devote more time to exam preparation and they will not get adequate time for extra-curricular activities.

Stressful Academic Year

The academic year will be very stressful for students and teachers. They have to complete the whole syllabus by September so that they can also conduct 1-2 pre-board. Even students will not be able to learn concepts by heart. They have to mug up things and prepare for exams as the academic year is too short to study things in detail.

No Extra-curricular Activities

You will have no time for extra-curricular activities. Students will become tape-recorders. Forget about competency-based learning, activity-based learning or learning by doing. You will have no time for all this. Just prepare for board exams and focus on marks.

Good for 12th Boarders Other Way Round

It’s really bad news that it is good for 12th-class students. After the implementation of CUET, they are not interested in attending classes. The competition to get good marks in board exams has already gone away. They understand that getting 40% and 99% has equal value in terms of college admissions. Only CUET, JEE or NEET score matters.

So, most of the students will attempt the first board exam in Nov-Dec and then they will start preparing for entrance exams. It is good for them as they will get more time to prepare for CUET, JEE and NEET. It is bad news for schools as they will have ZERO students in the 12th class for the next 3 months as there will be no sense of attending school between two board exams.

Parents may also deny paying school fees for the last quarter.

Exam Centric Learning

As discussed, students will not have time to understand concepts and the teacher will not have time to explain them in detail. The education system will become exam-centric. The aim will be to get qualifying marks in board exams so that students become eligible to take part in CUET, JEE and NEET exams.

Coaching Centre Era

Once the first board exams are over in December, students will rush to coaching centers for CUET and other entrance exams. Schools will hardly get any students for the second board exam as most of them will be preparing for CUET, NEET, JEE or any other entrance exam. However, schools can also start on-campus coaching for such entrance exams if they want to retain their students.

Do We Really Need Two Board Exams?

You must have listened to On Demand Exams and Credit System. This concept is already there in many foreign universities. Even IGNOU and NIOS have such courses. Two exams in a year is the first step towards the implementation of on-demand examinations.

But the problem is that we have mixed things. In the proposed format, it seems less beneficial and more harmful. The formal school education system doesn’t fit in this frame. So, you can not implement it partially.

We already have two boards in one year in terms of Annual Examination and Supplementary Examination. But the problem is that if a student wants to improve his score, he has to wait for next year’s annual exam.  It would be much better if the authorities would have restructured that system. For example:

1. We can schedule Annual Exams in January and Supplementary Exams in March.
2. We must merge the Improvement Exam with the Supplementary Exam.

This way, you will get two sensible board exams in one year with the option to improve your score in the same academic year.

Two Boards in a Year are Already There

Now, let’s come back to the new format. There is nothing new. As discussed, we already have two board exams which are annual and supplementary. The only difference is that the improvement exam is merged with the supplementary exam and the schedule of the exam is changed.

So, two boards are already there. It is nothing new. Just the labels are changed to create unnecessary controversy or to show that something big is being implemented. We know that it is the same existing system with some positive modifications.

The modifications are:

1. Students need not wait for next year to take the improvement exam. They can have a second attempt in the same academic year.
2. The Annual Exam (First Attempt) and Supplementary Exam (Second Attempt) will be conducted a bit earlier.

Everything else is the same. So, you should not think much about that. Just focus on your studies and prepare for your entrance exams.