CBSE not to award any division, distinction in class 10, 12 board exams: Official

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will henceforth not award any division or distinction to students in class 10 and 12 board exams.

The board said it is for the admitting institution or employer concerned to calculate the percentage of marks if required, CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said in a release on Friday.

Last year, too, the CBSE had not announced toppers as part of the education body’s campaign to stem unhealthy competition.

The announcement came after requests by students asking for the criteria used to calculate the percentage. “The CBSE is receiving requests from various persons to intimate the criteria for calculating the percentage of the students in the Board’s examinations,” the release stated.

The board also pointed out that the “sub-section 40.1 (iii) of Chapter-7 of the Examination Bye-Laws stipulates that, 'No overall division/distinction/aggregate shall be awarded’”.

If any student appears for more than five subjects, the decision to determine the best five subjects will be taken by the admitting institution or employer, the release said.

The CBSE had not announced toppers for classes 10 and 12 last year too, and the move is part of the education body’s campaign to curb unhealthy competition among the students.

Additionally, the CBSE has just released the date sheet for the class 10 and 12 exams for the academic year 2023-24.

“CBSE will conduct Board examinations for the academic year 2023-24 for classes 10 and 12 from the 15th of February 2023 onwards. These examinations will be conducted for a period of approximately 55 days and are expected to conclude by the 10th of April 2024,” an official announcement by the education body stated.

The CBSE class 10 and 12 exams will start from January 1, 2024.