The pass percentage of SSLC annual exam-1, results of which were announced on Thursday, declined by 10.49 points compared to last year. The overall pass percentage stood at 73.4 this year compared to 83.89 in 2022-23.
The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) officials attributed this to the new monitoring system of webcasting through CCTV in all examination centres.
Officials said the actual result had declined by 30% this year, which is why the State government decided to enhance the normalisation of scores in the interest of students as webcasting was a new intervention.
It was decided to reduce the qualifying marks for attracting grace marks from the existing 35% to 25%, and grace marks had been increased from 10% to 20% in all subjects as a one-time measure for all three SSLC annual exams of 2024.
After the normalisation, the pass percentage of the SSLC annual exam-1 was 73.4%, and around 1.7 lakh students had benefited. However, the actual pass percentage was 54.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the results, Ritesh Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), said: “For the first time, a new system of webcasting through CCTVs was introduced at all examination centres. Control rooms were set up in all districts for monitoring the live feed. This has been a path-breaking innovation and has restored exam integrity and inculcated a habit of writing exams without resorting to unfair practices. Therefore, the results decreased. However, these measures are student-friendly and it has been welcomed by stakeholders.”
The data provided by the department shows that as many as 1,65,443 students secured ‘C’ grade (35%-49%), which comes to 23.66% of the overall results. This number was 19,301 (2.80%) the previous year. “A majority of ‘C’ grade students were able to pass because of grace marks,” said an official.
“We have no intention of failing any students. From next year, teachers and students will be better prepared for the new system and enhanced normalisation will not be necessary. As a remedial measure, the Education Department will take up curative teaching in the next one month for all students who haven’t done well in exam-1 or who want to improve their marks so that they are better prepared for exam-2 and -3. Students need not worry as they have two more exams,” Mr. Singh added.
But the decision to promote students by providing grace marks has attracted criticism from some quarters.
Niranjanaradhya V.P., development educationist, said the result showed the sad state of affairs in Karnataka in relation to quality education.
“This is a cumulative effective of the learning crisis in the State right from primary school. This reflects on the decision of unscientific teachers’ transfer, the large number of teacher vacancies, and the absence of a defined road map for enhancing the quality of education right from primary school. The result provided a good opportunity to reflect where exactly we have failed. One thing is for sure and that is installing webcast cameras will not enhance our results,” he said.
“Despite taking measures to improve the learning levels among children and by introducing a detention policy as per RTE Amendment Act, the department is bringing the quality of education down,” said D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka.
