Good news for Class X students

New Delhi:  Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to relax mandatory separate pass mark criteria for class 10 students.  According to a notification from the Board, it has decided to implement overall 33% pass mark criteria for this batch of students only. 
 
CBSE has decided to implement overall 33% pass mark criteria for this batch of students only  

As a 'one time measure' for the candidates of this batch, the Board has decided to revise the pass marks as this batch is from a different assessment background while they were in class 9. As per the new relaxation in order to pass, a student has to secure total 33% (internal assessment and board exam marks, taken together). This is ought to bring relief to the students who will be appearing for the examination this year. This norm is also applicable for the additional subjects which comprise of internal assessment and board exam.

On 30 January 2017, CBSE announced to restore class 10 board exam from the academic session 2017-2018, after seven years. It was then the Board had introduced the mandatory separate pass mark criteria where students had to secure minimum 33% each in board exam and internal exam to pass. 

"The examination committee of the board in its meeting held on February 16 after considering the circumstances and the facts that the current batch of class X (2018) is coming from a different assessment background while they were in class IX (in 2017) resolved to approve the following for this batch as a one-time measure," reads the official notification.

This year, CISCE board has also relaxed pass mark for ICSE and ISC exams. According to the new rule, for ICSE exam or Class 10 the pass mark will be 33% and it will be 35% for ISC exam or Class 12. CISCE has considered undertaking such changes going at par with other boards in the country. 'The objective of this is to bring about a close conformity with other Boards in the country,' CISCE said in a notification.

Vocational Subjects

However for vocational subjects since the internal assessment carries 50 marks, the rule of separate pass criteria will not applicable. In such case, students shall have to obtain 33% marks both in internal as well as board exam to pass.

Admit Cards

For the Board exams, admit cards have been issued by the schools. For schools where admit cards of students have been withheld due to poor performance in pre-board tests, CBSE has directed them to release it. The Board has strictly asked schools to refrain from charging fees for admit cards. Schools must issue admit card to candidates enlisted in finalized list of candidates (LOC) for class 10, 12 board exams this year.