Govt backs 3-language formula up to Class 10

New Delhi: Union human resource minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday stated that the government will not impose or burden any particular language on students.

“We want people to learn more and more languages,” the minister told reporters a day after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)’s governing body recommended three language formula (like Sanskrit) be continued beyond Class 8 to Class 10.

He said the government will implement the three-language formula in schools based on the recommendations by the Kothari Commission with the only exception with states like Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Commenting on CBSE’s governing body approving restoring of the Class 10 board-based examinations from the next academic session, 2017-18, the minister pointed out that at least 15 lakh students appear for class 10 examinations out of which half of them, from government schools opt for board examinations while around seven lakh students only appear for school-based examinations.

“You cannot discriminate these seven lakh students from the total 2 crore students who appear for state board or CBSE board examinations,” he said.

On CBSE recommending board examinations from next academic year which would be conducted in March 2018, after a gap of seven years, the minister said, “We will duly clear and pass the CBSE recommendations for Class 10 board examinations”.

The weightage of division of marks will be 80 per cent for the board-based examinations and 20 per cent will be through internal assessments.

However, for students currently in class X examinations they would continue as per the current format where both the school-based and board-based options is open.

The minister further remarked that the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) is part of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2010 and will continue.

On no-detention policy, the minister pointed out that the government has already prepared a Cabinet note and after clearing the required formalities it will be send for Cabinet’s approval. The RTE Act, 2010, mandates that no child should be failed and detained in school until the completion of elementary education, or till Class 8.

The HRD ministry has reportedly approved a proposal for the no detention policy to apply only till Class 5. The proposal has been sent to the law ministry for examination. Any change in this policy will need amending RTE Act, 2010.

The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) on October 25 recommended that the no-detention clause in the RTE be amended. This could result in children from Class V till Class VIII being held back if they fail the school examinations.