Teachers await clarity on internal assessment

Teachers are wondering why there is a delay in issuing guidelines on conducting internal assessment. Representation pic

Maharashtra state board students, appearing for std X and XII examinations this year, and their teachers, are in a fix. They were told there will be internal assessment this year but there is no clarity on how they should be conducted. Ideally, project works, periodical tests etc are spread across the academic year for internal assessments.

But this year, there is no clarity after the announcement of re-implementation of internal assessment.

After receiving flak over discontinuing internal assessment that led to poor results in state board examinations, the Maharashtra government took the decision to bring it back. A committee was formed to take the decision following several requests for it from parents and teachers. After the committee's work, the decision of re-implementation of internal assessment was announced a month ago. But since then where have been no clear directives regarding its implementation.

Students, teachers harassed

"The first semester examinations are already here. Parents have started asking about internal assessment but we teachers have no answers, because we are equally clueless. We do not understand why there is this delay in giving us clear guidelines on how to conduct internal assessments. Schools cannot decided

this on their own as there has to be uniformity," said Uday Nare, a teacher.

He added, "From this year internal assessment is to be implemented for stds IX and XI too. If the directives are declared late, it will be difficult for teachers to conduct internal assessment of all classes together to finish it before deadline."

Also Read: Governor calls upon Vice Chancellors to make Universities 'Centres of Excellence'

Teachers are worried about how, if half the year goes by, they will incorporate internal assessments marks.

A parent from Borivali, Harshada Sawant, whose son is in std X said, "Two years ago, when my daughter was in std X, internal assessment had started from the beginning of the academic year. There were projects to complete, journals to submit and periodical tests. But nothing is happening during my son's std X. If at the last moment they ask for certain projects to be submitted, it will be difficult."

Shakuntala Kale, chairman of the Maharashtra State board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, was unavailable for comment.

Also Read: Mumbai University launches India's first digital database of academicians

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates