Change in II PU mid-term exam pattern riles students, teachers

Students and teachers are not happy with the decision by the department of pre-university education (DPUE) to conduct mid-term examination for II PU students on the lines of the final examination.

All these years, the mid-term examination used to be conducted at the taluk-level and evaluation was done at the college level.

But this year, the department has announced that it will conduct the same by preparing question papers at the state level and evaluating at the district level.

The is scheduled from November 29 to December 10. The question paper is being prepared for the same at the state level.

According to officials in DPUE, this is being done, keeping in mind the inconveniences caused last year.

“Due to the pandemic, we were unable to conduct the board examinations last year and had to announce the results, considering the scores in I PU and students’ performance in mid-term examinations of II PU. As it was conducted at the college level, scores of some of the students were not available,” explained an official.

“Our intention is that students must consider even the mid-term examination seriously,” the official said.

However, students and teachers are not convinced with the reasoning and said the move would lead to unnecessary mental pressure on students.

The Karnataka State Pre-university College Teachers’ Association president Prof Ninge Gowda said, “Students appearing for II PU exams this year have not written their class 10 board exams or I PU exams. Writing the mid-term exam will be a challenge for the students and will put pressure on them.”

“The department has announced randomised evaluation at district level, but looking at the scarcity of experienced teachers, this is not a good idea,” Gowda said.

The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) is staging a protest in Bengaluru on Wednesday, demanding that the department withdraw the decision to conduct mid-term examination.

Hundreds of students staged a protest against the DPUE over the mid-term exam proposal at Ramaswamy Circle in Mysuru on Tuesday.

The students, under the banner of AIDSO, raised slogans against the government.

They claimed that classes started recently and the syllabus was yet to be completed.

The department’s decision to hold exams will lead to stress on the students, said Subhash of AIDSO.

The protestors said the students have just 15 days to prepare for the exam and the decision to conduct it was unscientific.

‘Ok with college-level test’

They demanded that the exam should be conducted as before, at the college level.

The marks of the mid-term exam should not be considered for evaluation of the final board exam, the students said.

“The syllabus should be reduced. The government should stop playing with the lives of the students. The final exam for II PU should be planned for June,” they said. The protestors later submitted a memorandum to the DC in this regard.

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