CBSE proposed to conduct Pre Announced Test (PAT) for 2014 Board Exams

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) proposed to conduct the Pre Announced Test (PAT) for the 2014 board exams. CBSE intended to conduct PAT for all subjects in class X and selected subjects in class XII. The question being asked in the backdrop of PAT being proposed by the CBSE board is whether PAT will help in making the system of assessment more student-friendly.

The CBSE proposed PAT aims at introducing required changes in the learning process inside a classroom to eventually enhance creative traits in students. Four months prior to the board exam, students will be familiarised with concepts to be asked in the exams. Under PAT, a concept/theory would be taught to students four months before the exam and students would be expected to analyse various relevant questions that could be asked. On the day of the CBSE exam, PAT will not produce the concept/theory passage, however questions will be asked based on the concepts introduced to students four months prior to PAT

Students are required to adapt themselves to the new approach and teachers are expected to encourage the students for the same.

Positives & the Negatives

Experts have critically studied the PAT proposal as proposed by the CBSE. The industry experts are of the opinion that the new format will require students to exercise their analytical skills. This examination format focuses on sharpening student's reasoning skills and precision.

However, a group of educationists pointed out that in the backdrop of the Indian education system that still have heterogeneous groups of students, CBSE’s attempt to introduce a system of open-book or modified version (PAT) will not work. It was suggested by expert groups that if in place of 100 marks only 20-30 marks question should be based on the system of open-book or modified version (PAT).