The CBSE class 12 term 1 board exams are being conducted in offline mode from November 16 to December 30. They will be conducted in two parts -- Term 1 and Term 2. Term 1 exams will be conducted for minor subjects from November 16, and for major subjects from December 1.
On Monday, the students appeared for offline exams for two minor subjects-- entrepreneurship, and beauty & wellness. All minor exams will be conducted in the students' own schools.
Here is all you need to know about this new format:
How will the term 1 exams be conducted?
The board exams for class 12 are being held offline for 114 subjects. Term 1 will be in two phases from November 16 to November 30, and from December 1 to December 30.
Phase 1 will be for minor subjects and these exams will be conducted in the MCQ or multiple-choice format. Phase 2 exams will be for major subjects and the question paper will require subjective answers. The students will be tested on 50 % of the syllabus.
What are major and minor subjects?
All subjects carry equal weightage, and the categorisation into minor and major is purely administrative and not academic. Minor subjects include regional languages, applied mathematics, and English elective, among others. Major subjects include sciences, economic, and history, among others. The CBSE issued a circular on this distinction, which stated:
“The classification of subjects has been done purely on administrative grounds... This has been done based on the number of candidates appearing in the subject and in no way reflects the importance of subjects as major or minor.”
What is the exam timing? What do students need to carry in the exam hall?
Exams will begin at 11:30 am and go on for 90 minutes. At the beginning, students will have 20 minutes to read the question paper before they can start answering it.
It is mandatory for all students to carry their admit cards issued by the CBSE for term 1. Without this, they will not be allowed to enter the exam hall. These cards can be downloaded from the Board's official website--cbse.nic.in or cbse.gov.in. Students are expected to carry print-outs of their admit card.
Students should also carry blue or black ballpoint pens for filling the OMR sheet.
Following COVID 19 protocol, students have been advised to wear face masks and use hand-sanitisers.
What will the term 1 question papers be like? Do students have to fill the OMR sheet?
Exams for all minor papers will be conducted in the MCQ format. Students will be given question papers and OMR sheets to mark their answers.
This will have to be done with a blue or black ballpoint pen. Using a pencil on the OMR sheet is strictly prohibited.
Students will need to fill all the relevant details in the space provided on the top of the OMR sheet, and sign a declaration at the bottom of the sheet.
Each OMR sheet will have 60 answer spots. Students are supposed to darken the chosen answer circle in the same order as the question.
What if one erroneously darkens the wrong circle in the OMR sheet?
One extra box will be provided in the OMR sheet, apart from the four circles for each choice. If the student mistakenly darkens the wrong circle in the OMR sheet, they can fill in the correct answer in this box and write the letter for the correct option.
Answer in the box will be considered as the final answer. The correct answer will have to be marked in the corresponding circle and also written in the box provided. The box cannot go blank.
What is the update on the ongoing plea for offline exams in the Supreme Court?
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by six students asking for hybrid exams-- which means online exams should be an option along with offline exams. The plea advocates for hybrid exams, saying that this will lend students the flexibility to appear for the exams in the online mode and ensure better social distancing, considering the ongoing pandemic. The SC has adjourned this hearing to November 18.
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