Sea of changes in tenth exams: AP Education Minister Suresh

Amaravati: Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh informed that the state government is going to make sea changes in tenth class question paper from this academic year. He said that 20 per cent internal marks are cancelled in tenth class, addressing at a press conference here at the secretariat on Thursday.

He further informed that the Bit paper also to be scrapped. A new model of the answer sheet, with 18 pages booklet will be given to the candidates instead of giving individual white papers.

There are many allegations that internal marks system is benefiting corporate schools, so the exam will be conducted for full marks, he said. There are criticisms that separate bit paper is giving chance to mass copying and compromise in quality standards. So it will be made part of the main question paper, he explained.

The minister described the model of the question paper. Paper One will be for 50 marks and Paper Two will be for another 50 marks. There will be 5 essay type questions, each carrying 4 marks (total 20 marks). There will be 8 short answer questions, each carrying 2 marks (total 16 marks). There will be 8 simple answer questions, each carrying 1 mark (total 8 marks). There will be 12 very simple questions, each carrying half mark (total 6 marks).

Answer sheets will be evaluated subject wise. Pass marks will be considered by combining the marks obtained in both the papers. Exam duration will be two and a half hours. Additional 10 minutes will be given for reading question paper, and another 5 minutes will be given for verifying the answers. 18-page booklet for answer sheet will be given to avoid copying. Evaluation of papers will be done in a careful manner.

Suresh further said that elections are held for parents committees in 45,390 schools out of total 46,635 schools in the state. The committees will be given awareness of Right to Education Act. The committees will be made partners in monitoring and regulation of schools. Training for the committees will be completed by the end of October. The minister added that infrastructure will be developed in schools at large scale in the coming days.