A new norm in ISC (Class XII exams) that requires students to pass in English and four subjects instead of three, will open up more avenues for students in higher education, said several school principals.
Students of Class XI who have started the new academic session are being briefed about the change announced in February when they were writing their ICSE (Class X exams).
The change will apply to the current Class XI students who will write ISC in 2027.
The change would mean not just passing in one more subject but performing equally well in order to pull up their final scores.
“If they study more subjects, they will have wider options in the long run. That is what we are telling our students,” said Raja McGee, principal, Calcutta Boys’ School.
“The purpose of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) is to increase their possibilities, so that even if they do not do well, they don’t suffer,” he said.
Not all students will crack competitive exams or clear the medicine or engineering entrance tests.
“If they have to go to a degree college after Class XII, more subjects would mean more options. If they don’t perform well in one subject, there are other subjects they can pursue in their higher education,” said Gargi Banerjee, principal, Sri Sri Academy.
“We have varied subject combinations that the council provides, and we encourage students to take them. For example, it could be economics with psychology. More subjects give scope for more subject combinations. Plus II is the gateway to higher education,” said Banerjee.
In the earlier system, when examinees had to pass in English plus three subjects, many schools encouraged the students to study five subjects so they could leave one subject out while calculating their cumulative score.
With the change in the norm, several schools would want their students to study six subjects instead of five.
The students returned to school in the second and third week of April for the new academic session.
Schools are conducting orientation for the new Class XI students and their parents to apprise them of the changes.
Many schools start Class XI even before the Class X results are announced.
“We are counselling students, especially those who have taken science. We are telling them that they should not see one more subject as eating up more of their
time, but as an additional option,” said Terence John, director of education, Julien Day Schools.
“Science students always want to drop subjects so they can focus more on the competitive exams. The counselling is important so that they do not get stressed,” said John.