Several city schools are doing away with the usual prize-day certificates — given at the end of the year — mostly on academic excellence.

Instead they have decided to reward the students for sustained efforts, conduct during the online class, organising fests online or also how they overcame financial challenges at home to be able to attend classes.

This has been an unusual year and heads of schools said students cannot be judged by the same parameters like any other year.

Some schools have reworked their criteria and done away with ranks.

“Prizes that were determined by marks lost significance this year because of the way the exams were structured,” said Sharmila Bose, the director of Sushila Birla Girls' School.

At Modern High School for Girls, the seniors will be acknowledged for their organisational skills like hosting events or helping teachers with the technological knowhow.

At Lakshmipat Singhania Academy there are no “proficiency” prizes for the primary section. For the middle and senior students, classroom interaction and being pro-active during an online class have gained prominence.

Calcutta Girls’ High School has also decided to do away with proficiency prizes.

During the last academic year with a change in platform students have also learnt to do things and one needs to recognize their efforts, a head said.

“We had to change the parameters because teaching and learning have been on a different platform...,” said Devi Kar, the director of Modern High School for Girls.

Schools that give attendance prizes to children for not just one academic year but several years together have also considered the challenges at home.

“There are students who get prizes for attendance. If we noticed that because of the pandemic and a crisis at home they could not attend a particular day we have considered them for a prize,” said Lakshmipat Singhania Academy director Meena Kak.

The pandemic has also thrust difficult times in many homes and some schools felt it was important to recognize the efforts of those children.

“It had been a difficult year in some homes where parents have lost jobs or there has been illnesses in families. But despite that some students have strived hard and we will give special prizes to them,” said Terence Ireland, the principal of St James’ School.