<p>Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa on Monday said that he was "100 per cent confident" of the SSLC examination results improving this year.</p>.<p>The minister, however, made it clear that no grace marks would be awarded to students this year.</p>.<p>Admitting that there was scope for improvement in some districts, Madhu added, “Performance in some districts is extraordinary, while some need to improve, and I am sure it will increase marginally.”</p>.<p>Results were dismal last year prompting the department to award 10% grace marks to the students. But Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued strict instructions against awarding grace marks this year, he said. </p>.<p>When queried about the practice of awarding grace marks having existed for several years to promote those missing the passing mark by a whisker, Madhu said, “This is something that will have to be clarified after a discussion with department officials. Awarding marginal grace marks is a sensitive issue, and I will discuss this with department officials.”</p>.<p>Defending the webcasting system that the department introduced last year to check malpractice in examinations, Madhu added,</p>.Karnataka's SSLC exams to start from March 21, 2nd PUC from March 1 .<p>“It helps us assess the learning levels of children. Webcasting is mandatory at every centre.”</p>.<p>The minister pointed to some of the measures that districts have already taken to improve the performance of SSLC students in the examinations this year.</p>.<p><strong>They are:</strong> </p>.<p>1. ‘Every day, every mark’ is a programme introduced in some districts wherein every student has to prepare for one mark in each subject for 50 days</p>.<p>2. Teachers are making ‘wake up’ calls to students so they start their preparations early in the day</p>.<p>3. Special classes for underperforming students</p>.<p>4. Group study sessions wherein underperformers prepare for the exams with the toppers</p>.<p>5. Zilla Panchayat CEOs are taking classes in some districts</p>.<p>6. Most districts have conducted mock tests to prepare students, with most of them being webcast</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa on Monday said that he was "100 per cent confident" of the SSLC examination results improving this year.</p>.<p>The minister, however, made it clear that no grace marks would be awarded to students this year.</p>.<p>Admitting that there was scope for improvement in some districts, Madhu added, “Performance in some districts is extraordinary, while some need to improve, and I am sure it will increase marginally.”</p>.<p>Results were dismal last year prompting the department to award 10% grace marks to the students. But Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued strict instructions against awarding grace marks this year, he said. </p>.<p>When queried about the practice of awarding grace marks having existed for several years to promote those missing the passing mark by a whisker, Madhu said, “This is something that will have to be clarified after a discussion with department officials. Awarding marginal grace marks is a sensitive issue, and I will discuss this with department officials.”</p>.<p>Defending the webcasting system that the department introduced last year to check malpractice in examinations, Madhu added,</p>.Karnataka's SSLC exams to start from March 21, 2nd PUC from March 1 .<p>“It helps us assess the learning levels of children. Webcasting is mandatory at every centre.”</p>.<p>The minister pointed to some of the measures that districts have already taken to improve the performance of SSLC students in the examinations this year.</p>.<p><strong>They are:</strong> </p>.<p>1. ‘Every day, every mark’ is a programme introduced in some districts wherein every student has to prepare for one mark in each subject for 50 days</p>.<p>2. Teachers are making ‘wake up’ calls to students so they start their preparations early in the day</p>.<p>3. Special classes for underperforming students</p>.<p>4. Group study sessions wherein underperformers prepare for the exams with the toppers</p>.<p>5. Zilla Panchayat CEOs are taking classes in some districts</p>.<p>6. Most districts have conducted mock tests to prepare students, with most of them being webcast</p>
