The ICSE and ISC results were announced on Friday and across Calcutta students appeared happy with their marks in the papers they could not write because of the pandemic-induced lockdown.
The marks in English in both ICSE and ISC exams seem to be the only sore point. Teachers said there was a difference of 10 to 15 marks in the literature and language papers in ICSE.
“The English marks have pulled the overall scores down. Students have not scored well in language in ICSE,” said John Rafi, the principal of La Martiniere for Boys.
Seema Sapru, the principal of The Heritage School, said: “In ICSE, students who have scored in high 90s in literature have scored in the 70s or 80s in language.”
In ICSE, the council mentions the language and literature marks separately in the marksheet. In ISC, the marks are clubbed and expressed in percentage. Teachers believe the language paper could have brought down the English marks.
Students who want a re-check of their papers can apply online through www.cisce.org from July 10 to 16.
The council will announce in a month or two, depending on the pandemic situation, the “improvement exams” in the pending papers that the students could not write but now want to in a bid to improve their scores.
The concern that many students had that they would score below their potential if assessed in the pending papers on the basis of pre-board marks was allayed by the formula the council adopted. “The system has enhanced the marks of all students,” said St James’ School principal Terence Ireland.
Some papers in both exams remained pending because the tests had to be suspended as a precaution against Covid-19.
Gerry Arathoon, the chief executive and secretary of the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations, which conducts the ICSE and ISC exams, announced that of the 37,258 students who appeared in the Class X exams, 36,920 were successful. In ISC, 24,453 of the 25,058 examinees from the state were successful.
“This has been an exceptionally difficult year for everyone because of Covid-19 and the multiple national and state lockdowns, coupled with many other problems…. I would like to commend our candidates, who have shown exemplary resilience and fortitude during this crisis period, faced with the agony of a long wait for a possible delayed examination in the remaining papers, the subsequent prolonged wait for the results, while simultaneously continuing their studies for the next class or preparing for the entrance exams. Your patience and perseverance are to be admired,” Arathoon said.
In most schools, Class XI classes had begun and it was difficult for students to concentrate on both Class XI studies and go back to Class X books if they had to appear for the pending papers.
In La Martiniere for Girls, 102 of the 184 examinees have scored above 90 in ICSE and 82 of the 144 in ISC. In La Martiniere for Boys, 128 out of the 223 examinees have scored above 90 in ICSE and 92 out of the 217 in ISC.
In Loreto House, 49 of the 85 examinees have scored above 90 in ICSE and 89 of the 131 in ISC. In Modern High School for Girls, 103 of the 157 examinees have scored above 90 in ICSE and 151 of the 182 in ISC. In Sri Sri Academy, 113 of the 154 examinees have scored above 90 in ICSE and 80 of the 136 in ISC.
Several heads felt that the results had brought a certain “closure” to students in uncertain times and they should now move on. “This is an extraordinary year and now we have to move on… The students who appeared for ICSE have to concentrate on Class XI and the others have to move on towards a new future,” said Damayanti Mukherjee, the principal of Modern High School for Girls.