Bring down JSC exams to 650 marks

Students of class-VIII are likely to sit for a 650-mark Junior School Certificate (JSC) examination next year, following a proposal made by the chairmen of all education boards.

They proposed to the education ministry to bring down textbook numbers and exam marks in a bid to lower the pressure on studies.

At present, JSC examinees sit for 850-mark test including an optional subject. If the proposal is approved, the students will sit for a 650-mark set of exams on seven subjects.

The approval is awaiting a decision of the National Curriculum Coordination Committee meeting, which will be held on May 27. 

The decision was made yesterday at a meeting on the proposal, chaired by Sohorab Hossain, secretary of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education division.

A meeting source said the ministry nodded in favour of the board chairmen.

According to the proposal, students will not have to sit for tests on Agricultural Studies, Home Economics and their optional subject.

The board chairmen also proposed for dropping multiple choice questions (MCQ) from the 2019 examination.

Last year, English first and second papers were held on 150 marks -- 100 and 50 marks respectively. Marks were similarly distributed for Bangla papers.

According to the chairmen's proposal, Bangla and English should be held on 100 marks -- 50 for each of the paper for each subject.

Similar changes were proposed for Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations.

"Some subjects should be dropped to reduce pressure on students.

The evaluation of those subjects should be made by the schools," said an official of Dhaka Education Board.