Karnataka to do away with exams for classes 1 to 5 and hold oral test for classes 6 to 9 this academic year

Keeping in mind the pandemic induced situation, the Department of Public Instruction has decided to revise the examination pattern for grades 1 to 9 for the current academic year.

As classes were not held for a few months and subsequently many had difficulties in accessing online education, the Department has decided to do away with the examination or assessments for grades 1 to 5th standard and decided to promote all kids to the next class.

However, for students of 6th to 9th grade, the Department is planning an oral assessment instead of a written examination.

Confirming the decision of the department, a senior officer told DH that a detailed and revised guidelines to conduct the examination will be issued on Monday.

"All these years the exams were held for grade 4th and above. Up to grade 3, the students would have been promoted based on their learning levels. However, now it is impossible to hold exams for even grade 4 and 5 as there were no offline classes held for those kids," said an official source.

But for the students of 6th grade and above, the department is mulling an assessment-based examination instead of a written examination.

"Private schools are conducting exams and assessment also online. But due to lack of internet and digital interface accessibility for rural students, it has been discussed to hold only oral assessment for this year," the source added.

Read more: Karnataka schools, colleges to remain open, exams to be held as per schedule

The department sources explained that two methods of assessment have been discussed already and a final one will be announced on Monday along with other guidelines.

"During the discussion, two models were suggested. One was to assess students' learning level based on their performance in unit tests conducted all these days and the second method was to conduct viva voce by calling students in batches each day," the official revealed.

Interestingly, the private schools affiliated to the state board have already begun holding exams and some of the schools are almost completing the exams. Hence, the revised guideline will not make any difference for private unaided schools affiliated to the state boards.

It can be recalled that a few days ago health minister Dr K Sudhakar had said that the government has decided to promote all kids up to grade 9 without examinations. But later this was denied by primary and secondary education minister S Suresh Kumar and also by the Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

In the meantime, several teachers have also expressed the view that it would be ideal to conclude the examination process fast and declare summer vacation following the increase in cases and also that they have been called for Covid-19 duty.

D Shashi Kumar, General Secretary of Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka said, "What we do is also assessment and it is called summative assessment and formative assessment. But only for grade 9, we conduct examinations on par with grade 10 because the no-detention policy does not apply here."

The Formative assessment is based on the performance of kids in the unit tests conducted and the Summative assessment is examining kids' learning levels by conducting examinations.