Grading System for Class X CBSE Examination in India

Today it was official. The examination system for Class X students in CBSE system has been changed to Grading System from 2009-10..

I am especially concerned about the speed with which this change has been introduced. While there has been no denying the fact that the current class X examination puts enormous stress on the students and their immediate family members it is also equally true that this system has served us so well for so many decades now. Just overturning the existing system without a thorough debate on the pros and cons of the system seems irrational to me.

One might argue that in western countries grade system has been prevalent for long but let’s not forget to compare apples to apples. In western countries there has been lot of other things that goes with the grade system like an efficient system of community colleges; opportunity to earn after your high school; ability to continue your study after a break and lots of such important helpful ecosystem around the secondary and higher secondary school system. Still, given all the encouragement and surrounding facilities, it is also factually correct that in the last 10-20 years Indian students have been world beaters and comprise around 50% of foreign students studying in US. Indian students are sought, invited and lured by prestigious American Universities.

Majority of the students in America and other developed countries just can’t think of competing with their counterpart in India at High School level. The current education system in India is so rigorous that it’s almost impossible to escape the long hours that students need to put to get excellent marks.

However, the problem with the current system is not about the pressure it builds during the Class X or Class X11 exam but the use of cramming or as we call in Hindi yen, ken, prakaren to get higher marks. I have personally seen many kids in India who could get astronomically high marks in their Class X or X11 exams but still failed to get through competitive exams. While I don't deny the joy of getting very good marks by cramming up the things but it can never beat the power of understanding the concepts and then secure better marks.

I tried to analyze this problem and the only reasoning I could deduce is that the society in India puts a premium on higher marks rather than understanding the concept. While it’s true that by cramming and/or by doing some hard work you can secure higher marks but when you write some of the competitive exams in India or abroad, they test your raw talent and not your ability to cram things up. That’s where students who might have secured excellent marks in Class X or X11 fails to get through these competitions.

The solution according to me is not simply to change to a grading system but to start a relentless campaign where as a society we put premium on understanding rather than trying to somehow manage to get very good marks. Let’s not dilute the core of education system which has year after year vowed the world with it’s talent whenever the opportunity was provided.