More analytical and application-based questions will be gradually introduced “in small doses” in both ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII), said Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations.
“We as a board do not want to shock the system. Analytical and application-based questions will be gradually increased in small doses so that children slide into the new system,” Arathoon told Metro on Sunday evening.
The board papers had analytical questions in both 2022 and 2023. Arathoon said analytical and application-based questions, unlike rote learning, would prepare students "for life".
“The National Education Policy (NEP) is talking about reducing rote learning and going for application-based learning. They want to prepare the children for life,” said Arathoon.
He said a question would be set from the text but would be asked in a manner that a student would have to apply his or her mind to answer it.
Teachers will have a crucial role to play as more and more application-based questions are introduced.
“The teachers will have to study the new pattern and teach students how to answer the questions,” said Arathoon.
In 2023, the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) had 40 per cent competency-based questions in Class X and 30 per cent competency-based questions in Class XII. In 2024, such questions will go up by 10 per cent in both exams, the CBSE academic director recently said.
“More analytical questions would better prepare our students for competitive examinations,” said Terence John, director of education and development, Julien Day Schools, which follow the ICSE and ISC curriculum.
