Tamil Nadu ditch plan to conduct public exams for classes 5, 8 students

The Tamil Nadu state government has cancelled its order issued in November which made it compulsory to hold board exams similar to public exams for students of class 5 and 8. The decision was taken by the education minister of Tamilnadu - K A Sengottaiyan. However, in the past, he was one of those adamant to hold board exams on the pattern of public exams. The suggested system would have removed the prevailing annual exam devoid of any kind of detention which evaluates students solely on the end term curriculum. The proposed system would have tested students on the entire year-long curriculum. The announcement led to mixed responses. Many students had already prepared themselves as per the proposed format. However, the decision has given a huge respite to many stressed students.

Many teachers state although they had prepared the children, the parents weren't ready to let their children undergo stress pertaining to the exam at such an early stage of their schooling. The opposition says the ruling AIADMK had tried to follow its supporter BJP's line by accepting commendations in the revised Right to Education Act which commands such public exams and scrapping of detention free system. 

Over the years, Tamil Nadu has been in the news for implementing a reformist approach to make school education less stressful. An important measure was scrapping entrance exams for medical and engineering admissions. However, the introduction of the entrance test NEET removed it and the ruling AIADMK is unable to eliminate it.

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