Open computer labs for JEE Advance aspirants: CBSE to schools

Prakash Kumar, DH News Service, New Delhi, Mar 15 2018, 17:12 IST

The CBSE has directed its schools to open the doors of their computer laboratories for such students to enable them to take the mock test ahead of the examinations to be held for admission in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in May. 

Engineering aspirants can take a mock test for JEE-Advance using the computers available at their nearby schools which are affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

The CBSE has directed its schools to open the doors of their computer laboratories for such students to enable them to take the mock test ahead of the examinations to be held for admission in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in May.

"This facility may be extended to the students who are qualified to write JEE-Advance examination only," the board said in its directive to about 18,000 schools affiliated to it in India and abroad.

The move is aimed to benefit rural students as the joint admission board of the IITs have decided to conduct the JEE-Advance in online mode only from this year, doing away with the system of holding the test in pen and paper mode.

The IIT-Kanpur is scheduled to hold the mock test for the JEE aspirants between May 1 to May 5.

The nationwide test is conducted in two parts-JEE Main and JEE Advance. While the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other centrally-funded technical institutes admit students on the basis of their performance in the JEE-Main, a joint admission board of the 23 IITs conduct the JEE-Advance for filling their seats.

The CBSE is scheduled to conduct the JEE-Main in pen and paper mode across the country on April 8. The computer-based test for the JEE-Main aspirants, who have opted for it, will be held by the board on April 15 and April 16.

The IITs will conduct the JEE Advance on May 20.

In a separate notification on Wednesday, the CBSE assured that the JEE-Main questions will have same difficulty level for each set of the question papers prepared for this year.

"The subject experts who have prepared the question papers have certified that the entire syllabus of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry has been covered in each question set by dividing the syllabus of each subject into an appropriate number of units and choosing an equal number of questions from each unit," the board said.

In every question paper set, each subject would carry the same percentage of "easy, medium and difficult" questions, it said.

This ensures the same difficulty level of each set of question paper for this year," the board added

Source : http://www.deccanherald.com/content/664785/open-computer-labs-jee-advance.html

CBSE affiliated schools should only follow NCERT syllabus: Madras High Court

• IndiaToday.in | New Delhi | March 15, 2018

All the schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) should follow only the syllabus prescribed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), said the Madras High Court.
Moreover, no additional subjects should be included in the curriculum, the court added.

Here's what Justice N Kirubakaran said:

"It is not known when the NCERT has prescribed only limited subjects to young children, how the CBSE allows its affiliated schools to have more subjects for the students," Justice N Kirubakaran said in recent TOI report while hearing a plea moved by advocate M Purushothaman.

CBSE should verify whether schools are following NCERT syllabus:

Furthermore, the Madras High Court has said that the board should have a mechanism to verify whether schools affiliated to it were following the NCERT syllabus.
Justice N Kirubakaran made the observations in a recent interim order directing the Centre to inform the court when it would allocate more funds and manpower to the CBSE to have effective control over the affiliated schools.

Petition to ensure that schools used only the NCERT syllabus:

As reported, the order was given on a petition by advocate M Purushothaman seeking a direction to the CBSE to ensure that the schools used only the syllabus and books prescribed by NCERT.
The petitioner claimed while the NCERT syllabus prescribed the study of the mother tongue, English and mathematics for first standard students, in reality, the children were being forced to study up to eight subjects.
Such violations were there in other classes also, he added.

Arguments from the petitioner:

Furthermore, the petitioner argued that the NCERT published books were cheaper than those printed by the private publishers.

Not enough funds available with the CBSE:

The court was also informed that there were not enough funds available with the CBSE and only 1,185 staff was working for it throughout the country. Hence it may not be possible for the board to have effective control over the schools.
The judge directed the counsel for the Centre to get instructions as to when the government would allocate more funds to the CBSE in this regard and posted the matter to March 27 for further hearing.


Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/cbse-affiliated-schools-should-only-follow-ncert-syllabus-madras-high-court-all-the-schools-affiliated-to-central-board-of-secondary-education-cbse-should-follo-1190170-2018-03-15

CBSE class 12 exams 2018: Students find physics paper challenging, check analysis

CBSE Board exams 2018: The overall the difficulty level of question paper was higher than the last year. The students found it quite challenging and came up with mixed responses.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Published: March 7, 2018 6:54 pm 

 

Exams for both class 10 and 12 started from March 5 and over 28 lakh students are appearing for the same. (PTI photo)

 The CBSE class 12 science students appeared for their second major subject today, which was that of physics. Exams for both class 10 and 12 started from March 5 and over 28 lakh students are appearing for the same. The first paper for class 12 students was that of English and almost all the students were happy with this year’s paper. Check out the entire analysis of today’s physics paper for class 12 below.

Time consuming calculation 
Two questions out of five in one marker were indirect. The two markers were straightforward and easy. The three markers were considerably lengthy and time consuming and the students found the calculation time consuming.

Numericals were challenging 
Some students found difficulty in comprehending the question on ‘Expression for Magnetic Field for Toroid’ as it was an indirect one. About 50 per cent of three markers were numerical problems which made the section a bit challenging. The entire paper was more application based rather than theoretical.

Overall analysis
The overall the difficulty level of question paper was higher than the last year. The students found it quite challenging and came up with mixed responses.
The exams for class 10 will conclude on April 12, whereas for class 12 the last paper will be conducted on April 4. A total number of 16,38,428 students have registered for class 10 exams and for class 12, total 11,86,306 students will be appearing. Students can find the entire datesheet of the exams at the official website – cbse.nic.in

Inputs contributed by CS Tripathi, PGT Physics, VidyaGyan School, Bulandshahr

Source : http://indianexpress.com/article/education/cbse-class-12-physics-exam-2018-students-find-physics-paper-challenging-check-analysis-5089597/

NIOS, Open School Students Can Apply For CBSE NEET 2018

NEET 2018 registration will continue till 9 March. CBSE will conduct the exam on 6 May 2018.

Education | Written by Maitree Baral | Updated: March 05, 2018 12:29 IST

  

NIOS, Open School Students Can Apply For CBSE NEET 2018; Technical Glitches Persist

New Delhi:  NIOS and Open school students are now allowed to apply for CBSE NEET 2018. 'As per the directives of Hon'ble High Court of Delhi in W.P(C) 1813/2018 dated 26/02/2018 and in W.P(C) 1906/2018 and other connected matters dated 28/02/2018,' candidates belonging to the unreserved category and above 25 years of age are eligible to appear for the exam as well. With this, the month long uproar over the CBSE NEET 2018 eligibility norms has finally come to an end. Candidates who have passed as a private candidate are now eligible to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test held for admission to MBBS/ BDS courses in the country.

How To Submit Application
Under the information of Class 11, CBSE has asked open school students to provide details of School/ College name, State and district where it is located, year of passing (which should be one year before the passing of Class 12) and place of study.

This also allows, 'candidates belonging to SC/ ST/ OBC category and persons entitled for reservation under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 aged above 30 years,' for the exam.

'All candidates who are fulfilling the conditions of orders of Hon'ble Court can now submit their online application form on or before the last date. However, the candidature will be the subject to the outcome of the above Writ Petitions,' reads the official update. Those having Biology as an additional subject are also eligible for the exam.

On 28 February, Delhi High Court had put on hold the CBSE NEET 2018 online registration. The order was passed by a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar on several petitions moved by medical aspirants who are aggrieved by various other eligibility norms which bar them from applying for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)-UG.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/education/nios-open-school-students-can-apply-for-cbse-neet-2018-technical-glitches-persist-1819396

Aadhaar not mandatory for enrolment in NEET, Supreme Court tells CBSE

PTI T+ T-

Attorney-General K K Venugopal has told the Supreme Court that like in J&K, Meghalaya and Assam, other ID proofs can be given for the NEET exam.

New Delhi, Mar 7 

The Supreme Court today directed the CBSE not to make Aadhaar number mandatory for enrolment of students appearing in NEET 2018 and other all-India exams. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the CBSE to upload the information on their website.
Earlier in the day, UIDAI had told the apex court that it has not authorised CBSE to mandatorily take the Aadhaar number of students to get themselves enrolled for appearing in the NEET 2018 examination.

Attorney-General K K Venugopal had said he has instructions from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) that like in Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam other identity proofs like passport, voter card and ration card can be used by the CBSE for enrolling students in the examination.

The UIDAI’s remarks came on a plea challenging the decision of CBSE seeking mandatorily the Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment number from students who are aspiring to take the NEET 2018 examination. The Gujarat High Court had dismissed the plea on February 27. The appeal in the Supreme Court challenges the order of Gujarat High Court.

Source : https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/education/cbse-has-not-been-authorised-to-take-aadhaar-of-neet-students-uidai-to-apex-court/article22965134.ece

CBSE examinations begin today

  Staff Reporter New Delhi , March 05, 2018 01:32 IST

Over 28 lakh will take Class X, XII exams across the country

More than 28 lakh candidates will appear for Class X and XII board examinations that will be conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) from Monday, a CBSE official said.
A total of 16,38,428 candidates have registered for Class X examination, while 11,86,306 candidates have registered for Class XII examination.

In Delhi, 2,89,958 students — out of which 1,38,311 are girls — will be taking the Class X exam, while 2,50,736 — out of which 1,21,397 are girls — will be taking the Class XII exam. For Class X exam, 1,519 students will be appearing under the differently-abled category, while 1,131 have registered under the category for the Class XII examination.

Exam reintroduced

The Class X board examination has been reintroduced from this year after the government decided to do away with the Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) adopted earlier.

The Class X exam will be conducted at 4,453 centres across India and 78 centres abroad. The Class XII exam will be held at 4,138 centres in India and 71 centres abroad.

“The board has made appropriate arrangements with state authorities and local police to ensure trouble free examinations throughout the country,” the CBSE official said.

Candidates suffering from diabetes are allowed to carry eatables inside the examination centres.
From this year, the CBSE is also allowing candidates with special needs to write their exams using laptops but their device will have to undergo an inspection by the computer teacher at the exam centre and no Internet access will be allowed.

Source : http://www.thehindu.com/

Marathi may be compulsory in CBSE, CISCE schools up to class X

PTI | Feb 27, 2018, 16:56 IST

 

Maharashtra education minister Vinod Tawde

 

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government is considering making the Marathi language a compulsory subject up to class 10 in CBSE and CISCE schools, Education Minister Vinod Tawde told the Legislative Council on Tuesday.


Tawde's response came during a discussion on the Marathi language on the occasion of 'Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Din'-the birth anniversary of late poet V V Shirwadkar, also known as Kusumagraj.

At present, Marathi is a compulsory subject up to class 8 in schools run by the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), a private board which conduct ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) examination.

Legislative Council chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar moved a resolution recommending the state government to ensure Marathi is valued as a language of knowledge and to take further steps for its development.

Members of the Opposition and ruling benches raised several issues like making Marathi compulsory in CBSE and CISCE schools, according a classical language status to Marathi etc.

BJP MLC Bhai Girkar demanded Marathi be made compulsory till class 12 from the upcoming academic year, which begins in June.

Opposition parties have raised the pitch for Marathi following a goof-up in translating the Maharashtra governor's address to the state legislature yesterday.

The leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde (NCP) said there was no full-time secretary in the Marathi language department and that 40 per cent posts in the department are lying vacant.

Claiming that the state's official language is being neglected by the government, he said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis speaks in Hindi and English at various public events whereas IAS and IPS officers write their (file) notings in English.

Tawde said, "At present, Marathi is a compulsory subject up to standard 8 in CBSE and ICSE schools. We are considering to make it compulsory up to class 10. However, the decision will be taken by the education board".

He said a delegation comprising prominent litterateurs and leaders of various parties would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of according a classical language status to the language after the Budget session. 

 

Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/marathi-may-be-compulsory-in-cbse-cisce-schools-up-to-class-x/articleshow/63096253.cms

HC allows sale of non-NCERT books, uniform in CBSE schools

PTI | Feb 27, 2018, 22:08 IST

 

Representative image

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday quashed a CBSE circular and allowed the sale of non-NCERT books and uniforms at the tuck shops set up at affiliated schools across the country, holding that the sale of such items does not amount to "commercialisation" of education.

It said the availability of books, both NCERT and non-NCERT, stationery items and uniform in the school premises would only add to the convenience of the parents and the students.

A single judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli quashed a circular dated April 19, 2017 issued by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) advising the schools not to indulge in any commercial activity by way of selling of books, stationery, uniforms and school bags within the premises and to adhere to the provisions of affiliation bye-laws of the Board.

The schools were also directed by the CBSE to desist from the unhealthy practice of coercing the parents to purchase books/uniform from shops within the school premises or from selected vendors only.

"The Writ Petition filed by the Petitioners (Association of School Vendors) is allowed and the circular dated April 19, 2017, issued by CBSE is quashed and set aside.

"It is further directed that the Petitioners shall not be prohibited from the selling of non-NCERT books and uniforms also in the tuck shops which have been allowed to be set up in the CBSE affiliated schools for selling NCERT books and stationery items vide circular dated August 24/25, 2017," the bench said.

The court also quashed the conditions in another circular dated December 18, 2017, prohibiting the sale of non-NCERT books in the school shops and directed the CBSE to "take regulatory steps to ensure that the students and parents are not coerced in any manner, to buy any items from these shops".

Dealing with the question of commercialisation of education, Justice Palli said: "the availability of books, both NCERT and non-NCERT, stationery items and uniform in the school premises would only add to the convenience of the parents and the students".

The court said the use of the school buildings for purposes of education, would put a corresponding duty on the school management to ensure that the students are provided with all necessary facilities to help them pursue education in the school.

"The admitted case of the parties is that the aforesaid items in the school shops would be available only to the students of the school and not to outsiders and, therefore, I see no element of commercialisation in the sale of these essential items in the school shops," the judge said.

The court said that if the sale of books and uniform in the school shops without any coercion on the students or parents to buy from these shops, is treated as "commercialisation", there is no reason why even the sale of food items in canteen would also not be treated as "commercialisation".

"The availability of uniform, non-NCERT reference books or even food items for sale only to the students of the school, in my opinion, does not fall in the category of and cannot at all be considered as 'commercialisation'," Justice Palli said.

The court said the decision of CBSE to prohibit the sale of items, needed by the students in the schools, merely on the premise that the availability of these items in the school shops for sale, could be misused as the students and parents could be forced to buy them only from the school shop, appears to be "wholly arbitrary" and "quite irrational".

It said that it may be more in the interest of students that the option to buy books, both NCERT and non-NCERT, stationery and uniform items from the school shops should be available to them.

"I have no hesitation in coming to the conclusion that the prohibition imposed vide the impugned Circulars, does not satisfy the test of "reasonable restrictions" under Article 19(6) of the Constitution of India," Justice Palli said.

The court said there was also no justification to place NCERT books and stationery items in the permissible category and placing the non-NCERT books and uniform in the non-permissible category.

Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Have no role in deciding eligibility for NEET, says CBSE; 43 new centres announced

PTI | Updated: Feb 27, 2018, 21:36 IST

 

NEW DELHI: The CBSE has clarified that it has no role in deciding eligibility criteria for medical entrance exam - NEET - and grievances, if any, should be submitted to the Medical Council of India (MCI).
The clarification came following several complaints received by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) about barring open school candidates and those with biology as an additional subject in class 12 from appearing in the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET).

This year, NEET will be held on May 6. The online application process began on February 8, and March 9 is the last date to register. The last date for payment of exam fee online is March 10 till 11.50 PM.

Meanwhile, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said this year, NEET will be conducted in 150 cities, as against 107 last year.

Students who have pursued schooling through National Institute of Open Learning (NIOS)/ State Open School or those who studied biology or biotechnology as an additional subject in class 12 are ineligible to appear in NEET.

The CBSE, in an advisory, said, "The responsibility of CBSE is limited to holding the NEET (UG) examination, based on the eligibility criteria provided by MCI. CBSE has no role to play in deciding the eligibility conditions."

"Therefore, all the grievances received by CBSE on these issues are disposed of. Candidates are requested to kindly read the information bulletin and FAQs hosted on NEET website before sending the grievance to the board in any form," it added.

Tweeting about setting up of 43 new centres, Javadekar said all the cities from where 4,000 and more candidates have applied and which were not exam centres in 2017 have been added as centre cities.

The new centres have been set up in Andhra Pradesh (5), Assam (2), Gujarat (3), Maharashtra (6), Odisha (4), Tamil Nadu (2), Kerala (5), Telangana (2), West Bengal (3), Uttar Pradesh (3) and one new centre each in Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka and Uttarakhand.

Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

CBSE class X: Overall 33% in each subject enough to pass this yr

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

CBSE Class X students who will sit for Board exam on March 5, the first mandatory public exam after eight years, “need to secure overall 33% (both internal assessment and the Board exam marks taken together) in the subject to be able to pass”. They will be exempted from the mandatory separate pass criteria in subjects having internal assessment component of 20 marks and 80 marks of Board examination.

The Central Board of Secondary Education on Tuesday notified this one-time exemption.

The CBSE had introduced the Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) scheme along with optional Board exam. All others took the school-based exam. The CCE system was revoked in 2017 and Class X Board examination was made mandatory.

According to the notification issued by CBSE chairperson Anita Karwal, the examination committee recently decided to give the one-time exemption to the Class X students as they will be the first batch after the Board exam made a comeback. The same passing criteria will also apply in the additional subjects, provided they have internal assessment of 20 marks and Board examination of 80 marks.

This rule will also apply for students with subjects under National Skills Qualifications Framework scheme for the five major subjects —two languages, science, mathematics and social science. The provision of replacement of subjects extended to the NSQF students “for the failed subjects (out of the three subjects – science, mathematics and social science) by the vocational subject (passed by the candidate under NSQF) would continue to apply”. However, for vocational subjects listed in Annexure I, which were notified on March 9, 2017, there will be no exemption from separate pass criteria as the internal assessment component of these subjects comprise 50 marks. In these subjects, mandatory separate pass criteria of securing 33% both in internal as well as Board examination will apply.

Source : https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/#