One ISC school has written to parents, and several others are encouraging students to take six subjects in Class XI and not “only five”.
A norm introduced by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) requires ISC (Class XII) students to pass in English and four subjects, instead of three, from the exam year 2027.
“Selecting the sixth subject is critical. As an educator, I would strongly recommend that our students opt for it,” Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School, wrote to parents in the first week of April.
The Class X exams concluded on March 30, and many schools will start the Class XI academic session in the second or third week of April.
“Children, at 16-18, need to pursue a hobby but don’t find time after school hours. Selecting subjects, i.e, home science, physical education, art, and a practical-based subject, helps them develop healthy habits and boost their percentage. Pursuing their mother tongue helps in finding their own identity. Most importantly, the six subjects work as a safety net and help improve the overall percentage by replacing a lower score,” Sapru wrote in the letter.
Conventionally, most science students do not want to take one extra subject, several schools said.
“The science students want to concentrate more on science subjects, and they feel that one more subject would be an extra load on them. In school as well, they feel they can utilise the extra couple of free periods for pursuing science subjects,” Sapru told Metro.
“But we want students from all streams — science, commerce, and humanities-to take up a sixth subject. If students are doing all text-heavy subjects, choosing a home science, art, or physical education might give them a little breather,” Sapru said.
The school has included mass media and communications, entrepreneurship, and other subjects, the school said.
“Subject choices are not merely about streams or scores, but about nurturing interests and building confidence for the future,” Sapru wrote in the letter.
Several other schools said choosing a sixth subject will open up possibilities for students after Class XII.
“We are insisting that students take a sixth subject because it is not merely a cushion, but a student will have more subject options after Class XII. If they have done a subject in Classes XI and XII, it would be easy for them to choose a subject in higher education,” said Gargi Banerjee, principal, Sri Sri Academy.
When the council’s pass criterion was English and three, schools insisted on five subjects. Six subjects are more natural now, said a principal.
“Since students have to pass in four subjects apart from English, taking five subjects is wise. Students are opting for it because it is a buffer subject. Questions are increasingly becoming more analytical in the board papers, so one more subject will ease the burden and increase the possibility of their overall performance,” said Mousumi Saha, principal, National English School.