Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) has devised a formula, based on a combination of marks obtained in its own examinations and those awarded by schools, to formulate results of matriculation and intermediate students whose board examinations had to be cancelled this year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Saturday, JAC officials indicated they were working to declare final results by the end of the month. As per the evaluation pattern devised by JAC along with the state education department, results of Class 10 will be based on Class 9 results while results of Class 12 will be on the basis of performace in Class 11. In Jharkhand both Class 9 and Class 11 final exams are also conducted by JAC.

Officials said the council has asked all government schools across all 24 districts to send in marks of the internal assessment/practical exams of students by July 13.

JAC officials spoke of a 80:20 ratio while formulating final results. “Eighty per cent of the total marks of a student will be given on the basis of performance in Class 9 or Class 11 while 20 per cent marks will be based on internal assessment or scores achieved during this year’s practical exams to be sent by the school/district committee,” explained a JAC official.

Over 7 lakh students had enrolled for matric and intermediate exams this year. Before the Covid lockdown was clamped in Jharkhand in April, JAC had already conducted offline practical exams for more than 70 per cent students.

“For the remaining students, we have sent a proposal to the state disaster management department for holding practical exams. It will be held after getting its nod, either online or offline. For arts and commerce streams in intermediate, we will simply take into account the internal assessment of schools since these subjects have no practicals,” said a JAC official, adding that the remaining practical exams can be completed in a day or two if and when the government gives a go-ahead.

JAC chairman Arvind Prasad Singh said they had started work on the results. “We are trying to prepare and announce the result by this month- end,” he said.

On the modalities of calculating the 80 per cent marks, he said that JAC would not face any problem. “The unique thing about Class 9 and Class 11 exams in Jharkhand is that these are also conducted by JAC unlike many other states. We already have a database of marks for both the classes. So there won’t be any problem in assessing students based on their past performance,” he said.

The Jharkhand government cancelled this year’s state board matric and intermediate exams on June 10 after the outbreak of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. While making the announcement, chief minister Hemant Soren said that JAC and the state education department had been directed to devise a formula and prepare results in sync with other boards so that students did not face problems while seeking admission to institutes of higher education or appearing for competitive exams.

On June 17, JAC submitted its evaluation criteria to the state education department after several rounds of meetings with various stakeholders. Even though the department has not yet made an official announcement about having accepted the formula, sources said that chief minister had given his consent.

“All schools and district education superintendents have been asked to upload the 20 per cent marks for their students only through the JAC website,” said an official in the JAC secretary’s office.