Karnataka To Change SSLC, II PUC Exam System From 2023-24 To Allow Best Of 3 Attempts

Karnataka has announced significant changes to the SSLC (class 10) and II PUC (class 12) examination system starting from the academic year 2023-24. Under the revised system, students will have the opportunity to retain the highest marks from three attempts.

The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) revealed that the updated examination system will replace the term "supplementary examination" with "annual examination 1, 2, and 3," granting students three chances. This change takes into account the diverse learning paces among students.

The KSEAB stated in a release, "By implementing the revised examination system, students can improve their scores by retaining the best marks obtained in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd examinations. This will enhance their prospects in the selection process for further studies or employment."

Recognizing that students learn at varying paces and styles, and that conducting exams 1, 2, and 3 can help them adapt to their individual learning paces and alleviate the stress caused by time constraints, the board emphasized the importance of renaming the supplementary examination to annual examinations 1, 2, and 3. This change provides three opportunities to students, promoting overall performance and a positive attitude.

The board outlined a basic framework for conducting these three examinations and stated that it would issue clear guidelines to students regarding the revised system. It also assured that question papers for these examinations would maintain uniformity in content and difficulty level. Additionally, students will have the chance to choose the subject-wise best score among the marks obtained in these three attempts. Those who join their next academic course late will be provided with a 'bridge course' at I PUC (class 11) or degree colleges to compensate for missed classes in the initial month.

The KSEAB pointed out that the current examination system, which includes one annual examination and one supplementary examination, is causing undue stress and anxiety among students. This, in turn, hampers their knowledge retention, meaningful learning, and academic progress.

In the current system, if a student passes the II PUC examination but is dissatisfied with their marks in a specific subject, they have the option to reject the marks obtained in that subject in the annual examination and retake the exam. However, only the marks obtained in the supplementary examination are considered as the final marks, without accounting for the marks obtained in the previous examination. This limitation is not student-friendly, as it denies students the choice to retain their best score among marks obtained in two exams.