Separate Examination Board for Delhi Soon: Manish Sisodia

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced that the new education board for Delhi schools will not be a replacement for CBSE but a next-generation board, which will focus on developing a child's brain for their future. He stated that the Delhi Government is trying to combat the situation where the students prepare for board examinations in schools, however, need help from coaching institutes to clear the different engineering and medical examinations.

Mr Manish Sisodia added that the plans for the new education board in Delhi had been put in motion, earlier in 2015, however, seeing the need to improve the infrastructure in the educational institutions in Delhi, the plans had been put on hold. Adding that the plans are back in motion, Deputy CM Sisodia announced that the new education board will be offering a new curriculum. Among the changes proposed, he stated that the students will be offered different grades of a subject, which they can choose depending on the course or programme they wish to pursue as their higher education degree. Providing an example of science, he stated that they can divide science into four grades, viz science for doctors, science for engineers, science for humanities and science for sportspersons.

The Deputy CM stated that the division of such subjects will help the students be well-versed with the basics of a particular field. He mentioned another issue of the current board of education, where the students are forced to take coaching classes for NEET, JEE or other entrance examinations in India. He added that through the curriculum of the school, a student can learn 10% for the entrance examinations while the rest he/she gains from coaching centres.

With different changes, especially hikes in the examination fees that the students have to bear, the chances of a new education Board being put in place increases. If the new education board incorporates all the factors that have been mentioned by the Deputy CM, Delhi students will be able to train themselves better for their higher education courses.

Also Read:Here's All You Need to Know About the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

CBSE has increased the examination fee for class 10th and 12th students recently after five years from Rs.150 per subject to Rs.300. Education Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia immediately asked his department to evaluate the ways to lessen the burden of fees on the students. The request to reduce the fee has already been made by the government officials to the CBSE as the government is one of the major stakeholders of CBSE, their request must be considered if not, the Delhi government would set up a separate education board for Delhi students.

According to the previous fee arrangement, an SC/ST student in Delhi had to pay Rs.350 for all subjects to CBSE out of which the government reimbursed Rs. 300. However, in the new arrangement, no such separate clause is offered to Delhi SC/ST students and the fee has been raised to Rs. 1,200 for all five subjects. So the student will have to pay the entire amount himself/herself which would increase the burden of education on the students and their families.

For General category students the examination fee per subject is now Rs. 300 so the total would be Rs. 1500 for five subjects. However, earlier general category students used to pay Rs. 750 for five subjects.

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In the defence, CBSE officials have said that the increase in examination fee is due to the changes they have made in the past few years like capacity-building workshops for evaluators and paper setters, the appointment of extra invigilators at examination centres, 40% increase in the paper evaluators etc, due to which their expenditure on the examination increased heavily. As they don't receive any separate grant for the same from the Government this step was essential to cover the expenses.

The raise in examination fee would affect the students preparing for 2019-2020 CBSE board examinations. It seems like the Delhi Government is going to find a solution to ease the burden on Delhi students one way or the other.