As a part of its ongoing exercise in improving the curricular
transactions in schools, the Board had earlier decided to restructure the
science syllabus at secondary stage from the academic session 2005-06 in class
IX and in the subsequent year in class X. All affiliated schools were informed about these changes through
Circular No. 19 dated 25th March, 2005. The salient features of the scheme included :
a) One Theory paper of weightage 60
marks with duration of 2 ½ hours.
b) A year-end school based practical
examination for 20 marks.
c) A separate paper on practical skill
based multiple choice questions of weightage
20 marks and duration of 1 ½
hours.
Thus a
relative weightage of 60 marks and 40 marks was assigned to theory and
practical work in the subject in the restructured syllabus. Class X March 2007 examination of the Board
was conducted on the basis of above scheme. Another Circular No. 15 dated 21st June, 06 was also sent to
all the schools with the objective of re-emphasizing the central place of
practical work in science curriculum and the detailed procedure to be followed
for ensuring greater objectivity in the assessment of practical work.
Taking
into consideration the current situation of practical work in schools at
secondary stage and suggestions received from the system, it has now been
decided by the Board that the practical skill-based multiple-choice question
type question paper for class X examination will also include the list of class IX experiments
in the syllabus for this paper. This will not only strengthen
the acquisition of practical skills by the learners but also enable them
understand the related theoretical concepts included in the syllabus to a
greater depth. The new scheme of the
practical syllabus and assessment in practical work has the following salient
features:
i) The
practical – skill based multiple choice question paper for Board’s class X
examination will be based on list of experiments included in class X as well as
class
IX syllabus.
ii) The
Multiple choice Question paper will continue to have a weightage of 20
marks and time allocation of 1 ½ hours.
iii) Equal
weightage in terms of marks (10+10) will be assigned to questions
based on
class IX experiments and class X experiments.
iv) The
theory paper and school-based practical examination in class X will include
class X syllabus only as per the present practice and will continue to have a
weightage of 60 marks and 20 marks respectively with same time allocation.
v) There
will be no change in the assessment scheme in the subject for class IX.
The
scheme will come into effect from
March 2009 examination onward for class X. The schools need to understand and appreciate the Board’s initiatives to
pay more attention and focus to practical work. This calls for concerted efforts and constant monitoring. The above information may be brought to the notice of all concerned and desired
attention may be given to practical work in the ongoing session for class
IX.
