CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi. Telegraph picture

Patna, Nov. 29: Much to the relief of parents and students, CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi today clarified that students appearing for Board-conducted examinations in Class X can continue with the same school and board if they wish to and if the school authorities agree.

Joshi, who was attending an interactive session on examination reforms with parents on the premises of DPS, Danapur, said: “All certificates whether for school-conducted assessment or Board-conducted examination will be issued by the CBSE and the document won’t mention the mode of examination (school or board).”

Joshi also said that from next year, in all probability, students would have to go for the school-conducted assessment. Elaborating on the examination process, he said: “One examination should not decide the future of students. This is the reason why consolidated examinations are conducted and students are given the opportunity to decide beforehand if they want to go for school-conducted assessment or Board-conducted examination.”

“In the school-conducted assessment, the school will be doing the evaluation whereas the Board will do that in Board-conducted examination. Question papers and certificates will be provided by the Board,” Joshi added. He also said that the Board could anytime check whether school was conducted the examination correctly. Earlier in the day, the CBSE chairman attended an “Orientation Programme on Mentors and Monitors” and an induction programme for principals of newly affiliated schools. All together 26 principals were inducted at the programme.

In accordance with the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) guidelines, Joshi also appointed some principals as mentors of a group of school. Each of them got the responsibility for three schools and was asked to monitor whether CCE guidelines on infrastructure, method of teaching etc. were being followed.

Joshi said: “Under the ‘mentors to monitors’ programme, these principals don’t form inspection committees, instead, they act as facilitators.”

Talking to The Telegraph, Joshi said: “Student who have appeared for the Board-conducted examination and who wish to continue with the same Board and school after the results can do that, only less priority will be given to them. Students who appear for the school-conducted assessment will get more priority from the school authorities. It all depends on the principal and management of the school.”

He also said that students who appear for school-conducted assessment can also change their decision after the results. This means that he/she can change the Board as well as the school. Joshi also said: “No differences will be there from the next year since we’ll most likely be having school-conducted assessment for all the students.”

Parents, principals and teachers were in a fix as to which mode the students should opt for while appearing for the Class X examination. They have to decide before the results whether they want to take the school-conducted assessment or board-conducted examination.

Students who wish to leave CBSE as well as the school after the results are being asked to go for Board-conducted exams and those who wish to continue with the same Board have to appear for the school-conducted assessment. CBSE had cleared that children appearing for either board or school-conducted will be carrying certificates issued by the Board itself.