Scheme of Examinations and Pass Criteria

General Conditions

(i) The Scheme of Examinations and Pass Criteria for All India/Delhi Senior School Certificate and All India/Deihl Secondary Examinations conducted by the Board, shall be as laid down from time to time.

(ii) Class XI/IX examinations shall be conducted internally by the schools themselves.

(iii) The Board will conduct the external examinations at the end of Class XII/Class X.

(iv) Class XII/Class X examinations will be based on the syllabi as prescribed by the Board for class XII/X respectively from time to time.

(v) Number of papers, duration of examination and marks for each subject/paper will be as specified in the curriculum for the year.

(vi) The Examination would be conducted in theory as well as in practicals, depending upon the nature of the subject(s) and the marks/grades allotted shall be as prescribed in the curriculum.

(vii) Marks/grades shall be awarded for individual subjects and the aggregate marks shall not be given.

Grading

(i) Assessment of theory/practical papers in external subjects shall be in numerical scores.In addition to numerical scores, the Board shall indicate grades in the marks sheets issued to the candidates in case of subjects of external examinations. In case of internal assessment
subjects, only grades shall be shown.

*(ii) Letter grades on a nine-point scale shall be used for subjects of external examinations. However, for subjects of internal examination in Class X the assessment shall be made on a five point scale I.e. A,B,C,D & E.

(iii) The grades shall be derived from scores in case of subjects of external examination. In case of subjects of internal assessment, they shall be awarded by the schools.

(iv) The qualifying marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33% at Secondary/Senior School Certificate Examinations. However at Senior School Certificate Examination,in a subject involving practical work, a candidate must obtain 33% marks in the theory and 33% marks in the practical separately in addition to 33% marks in aggregate, in order toqualify in that subject.

(v) For awarding the grades, the Board shall put all the passed students in a rank order and will award grades as follows :

A-1 Top 1/8th of the passed candidates

A-2 Next 1/8th of the passed candidates

B-1 Next 1/8th of the passed candidates

B-2 Next 1/8th of the passed candidates

C-1 Next 1/8th of the passed candidates

C-2 Next 1/8th of the passed candidates

D-1 Next 1/8th of the passed candidates

D-2 Next 1/8th of the passed candidates

E Failed candidates

Notes :

(a) Minor variations in proportion of candidates to adjust ties will be made.

(b) In case of a tie, all the students getting the same score, will get the same grade. If the number of students at a score point need to be divided into two segments, the smaller segment will go with the larger.

(c) Method of grading will be used in subjects where the number of candidates who have passed is more than 500.

(d) In respect of subjects where total number of candidates passing in a subject is less than 500, the grading would be adopted on the pattern of grading and distribution in other similar subjects.

Merit Certificates

(i) The Board will award Merit Certificates in each subject to the top 0.1 % of candidates passing that subject, provided that they have passed the examination as per the pass criteria of the Board.

(ii) The number of Merit Certificates in a subject, will be determined by rounding of the number of candidates passing the subject to the nearest multiple of thousand. If the number of candidates passing a subject is less than 500, no merit certificate will be issued.

(iii) In the matter of a tie, if one student gets a Merit Certificate, all candidates getting that score will get the Merit Certificate.



Scheme of Examinations (Senior School Certificate Examinations)

(i) The Board shall conduct examination in all subjects except General Studies, Work Experience,Physical and Health Education, which will be assessed internally by the Schools.

(ii) In all subjects examined by the Board, a student will be given one paper each carrying 100 marks for 3 hours. However, in subjects requiring practical examination, there will be a theory paper and a practical examination as required in the syllabi and courses.

(iii) In Work Experience, General Studies and Physical and Health Education, the schools will maintain cumulative records of students periodical achievements and progress during the year. These records are subject to the scrutiny of the Board as and when deemed fit.

(iv) A candidate from a recognised school who has some physical deformity or is otherwise unable to take part in Work Experience and Physical and Health Education, may be granted exemption by the Chairman on the recommendations of the Head of the Institution, supported by medical certificate from a Medical Officer of the rank not below an Assistant Surgeon.

(v) Private/Patrachar Vidyalaya and candidates sponsored by Adult Schools shall be exempted from Work Experience, General Studies and Physical and Health Education.

(vi) A candidate may offer an additional subject which can be either a language at elective level or another elective subject as prescribed in the Scheme of Studies, subject to the conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria.



Pass Criteria (Senior School Certificate Examination)

(i) A candidate will be eligible to get the Pass Certificate of the Board, if he/she gets a grade higher than E in all subjects of internal assessment unless he/she is exempted. Failing this, result of the external examination will be withheld but not for a period of more than one year.

(ii) In order to be declared as having passed the examination, a candidate shall obtain a grade higher than E (i.e. atleast 33% marks) in all the five subjects of external examination in the main or at the compartmental examinations. The pass marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33%. In case of a subject involving practical work a candidate must obtain 33% marks in theory and 33% marks in practical separately in addition to 33% marks in aggregate in order to qualify in that subject.

(iii) No overall division/distinction/aggregate shall be awarded.

(iv) In respect of a candidate offering an additional subject, the following norms shall be applied:

(a) A language offered as an additional subject may replace a language in the event of a
candidate failing in the same provided after replacement the candidate has English/Hindi as one of the languages.

(b) An elective subject offered as an additional subject may replace one of the elective subjects offered by the candidate.It may also replace a language provided after replacement the candidate has English/Hindi as one of the languages.

(c) Additional language offered at elective level may replace an elective subject provided after replacement, the number of languages offered shall not exceed two.

(v) Candidates exempted from one or more subjects of internal examination shall be eligible for appearing in external examination and result shall be declared subject to fulfilment of other conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria.

Eligibility for Compartment in Senior School Certificate Examination

A candidate failing in one of the five subjects of external examination shall be placed in compartment in that subject provided he/she qualifies in all the subjects of internal assessment.

Scheme of Examinations (Secondary School Examinations)

*(i) Assessment in the following subjects will be undertaken by the schools themselves in terms of grades on a five point scale (i.e. A,B,C,D & E)

- Work Experience

- Art Education

- Physical and Health Education

(ii) The evaluation for subjects of internal assessment shall be based on cumulative record of the candidate during his/her continuous assessment in the school.

(iii) Schools are expected to maintain regular records of student’s achievement and progress. These records are subject to scrutiny by the Board when it deems fit.

(iv) Rest of the subjects of study not mentioned under subclause (i) shall be externally examined by the Board. Details of question papers, marks and duration will be as per the Scheme of Examinations.

(v) Heads of all affiliated institutions shall be required to issue “Certificate of School-Based Evaluation” covering co-cognitive and other related areas of learning based on continuous and comprehensive evaluation of students who will be completing a course of study of
ten years.

Pass Criteria (Secondary School Examinations)

(i) A candidate will be eligible to get the Pass Certificate of the Board, if he/she gets a gradehigher than E in all subjects of internal assessment unless he/she is exempted. Failing this, the result of the external examination will be withheld but not for a period of more than one year.

(ii) In order to be declared as having passed the examination, a candidate shall obtain a grade higher than E (i.e. at least 33% marks) in all the five subjects of external examination in the main or at the compartmental examinations. The pass marks in each subject of external
examination shall be 33%.

(iii) No overall division/distinction/aggregate shall be awarded.

(iv) In respect of a candidate offering an additional subject, the following norms shall be applied:

(a) A language offered as an additional subject may replace a language in the event of a candidate failing in the same provided after replacement the candidate has English/Hindi as one of the languages; and

(b) The replacement shall satisfy the conditions as laid down in the Scheme of Studies.for appearing in external examination and result shall be declared subject to fulfilment of other conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria.

Eligibility for Compartment in Secondary Examination

A candidate failing in two of the five subjects of external examination shall be placed in compartment in those subjects provided he/she qualifies in all the subjects of internal assessment.

Compartment Examination for Secondary/Senior School Certificate Examination

(i) A candidate placed in compartment may reappear at the compartmental examination to be held in July/August and may avail himself/herself of the second chance in March/April next year and may further avail himself/herself of the third chance at the compartmental
examinations to be held in July/August of that year. The candidate will be declared ‘Pass’ provided he/she qualifies the compartmental subject/subjects in which he/she had failed.

(ii) A candidate who does not appear or fails at one or all the chances of compartment shall be treated to have failed in the examination and shall be required to reappear in all the subjects at the subsequent annual examination of the Board as per syllabi and courses laid down for the examination concerned in order to pass the examination. The candidate shall have the option to appear at the practical examination in the subjects involving practical or retain their previous marks in one more annual examination after the Third Chance Compartment.

(iii) Syllabi and Courses tor the Compartmental candidates in March Examination shall be the same as applicable to the candidates of full subjects appearing at the examination,

(iv) A candidate placed in compartment shall be allowed to appear only in those subjects in which he/she has been placed in compartment at the Second Chance Compartmental Examination to be held in March/April next year.

(v) For subjects involving practical work, in case the candidate has passed in practical at the main examination he/she shall appear only in theory part and previous practical marks will be carried forward and accounted for. In case a candidate has failed in practical he/she shall
have to appear in theory and practical both irrespective of the fact that he/she has already cleared the theory examination.

(vi) The candidate who is placed in Compartment in the Secondary School Examination (Class-X) shall be admitted provisionally to class XI till he takes in first chance Compartmental Examination to be held in July/August of that year. His/her admission shall be treated as
cancelled if he/she fails to pass at the first chance Compartmental Examination,

RETENTION OF PRACTICAL MARKS IN RESPECT OF FAILURE CANDIDATES FOR SECONDARY/SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS

A candidate who has failed In the examination in the first attempt shall be required, to re-appear in all the subjects at the subsequent annual examination of the Board. He/she shall appear only in theory part and his/her previous practical marks will be carried forward and accounted for if he/she has passed in practical. In case a candidate has failed in practical he/she shall have to appear in theory and practical both. If he/she fails to pass the examination in two consecutive years, after the first attempt he/she shall have to reappear in all the subjects including practical.

Additional Subject(s)

A candidate who has passed the Secondary/Senior School Certificate Examination of the Board may offer an additional subject as a private candidate provided the additional subject is provided in the Scheme of Studies and is offered within SIX YEARS of passing the examination of the Board. No exemption from time limit will be given after six years. Facility to appear in additional subject will be available at the annual examination only.

Improvement of Performance
Senior School Certificate Examination

(i) A candidate who has passed an examination of the Board may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject(s) in the main examination in the succeeding year only; however, a candidate who has passed an examination of the Board under Vocational Scheme may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject{s) in the main examination in the succeeding year or in the following year provided he/she has not pursued higher studies in the mean time. He /she will appear as private candidate. Those appearing for the whole examination may however appear as regular school candidates also if admitted by the school as regular students. In no case, a candidate shall be allowed more than one chance for improvement of his performance.

(ii) For subjects involving practical work, in case the candidate has passsed in practical at the main examination, he/she shall be allowed to appear in the theory part only and marks in practical obtained at the main examination shall be carried forward and accounted for. In case
a candidate has failed in practical he/she shall have to appear in theory and practical both irrespective of the fact that he/she has already cleared the theory examination.

(iii) Candidates who appear for improvement of performance will be issued only Statement of Marks reflecting the marks of the main examination as well as those of the improvement examination.

(iv) A candidate appearing for improvement of performance in one or more subjects can not appear for additional subject simultaneously.

Secondary Examination

(i) A candidate who has passed Secondary School Examination of the Board may appear at the examination for Improvement of performance in one or more subjects in the main examination in succeeding year only, provided he/she has not pursued higher studies in the mean time. He/ she shall appear as a private candidate. Those reappearing in the whole examination,
may appear as regular school candidates also.

(ii) A candidate appearing for improvement in subject(s) involving practical shall appear only in theory and previous practical marks shall be carried forward and accounted for.

(iii) Candidates who appear for improvement of performance will be issued only Statement of Marks reflecting the marks of the main examination as well as those of the improvement examination.

(iv) A candidate appearing for improvement of performance in one or more subjects can not appear for additional subject simultaneously.

Exemption to Spastic, Blind, Physically Handicapped and Dyslexic Candidates

Dyslexic, Spastic candidates and candidates with visual and hearing impairment have the option of studying one compulsory language as against two. This language should be in consonance with the overall spirit of the Three Language Formula prescribed by the Board. Besides one language, any four of the following subjects be offered:

Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Science, another language, Music, Painting, Home Science and Introductory Information Technology.

Courtesy : www.cbse.nic.in