Although there is no provision for external evaluation of experimental subjects in the Class 12 curriculum, evaluation is being conducted for limited subjects in a similar manner.
Class 12 has a provision for practical examinations under the name of 25 marks of internal assessment for 119 subjects. However, the practice of sending external assessors for the practical examination of five subjects still persists. Students and teachers have called for the cancellation of this arrangement as it goes against the established rules.
Out of the 25 marks in internal evaluation, 16 marks are designated for practical assessments, while the remaining marks are allotted for attendance, class activity, and class participation following the semester examination and class activities. The National Examination Board dispatches external evaluators to conduct assessments in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer, and Hotel Management, for which students are required to pay an additional fee.
Concerns regarding the relevance of this arrangement to the curriculum have been raised by service recipients in phone calls to the Curriculum Development Center. Since there is no provision for it in the curriculum, students have protested against this arrangement.
Krishna Prasad Sharma, the examination controller of the board, provided information that a decision has been made in a meeting of the officials of the Curriculum Development Center for external evaluation in five subjects. He clarified, "The arrangement for external evaluation has been made for subjects like Science and Computer and Hotel Management. Whether you know how to operate a computer or not, or whether you are familiar with hotel-related work or not, it has to be tested externally. Science students also have to undergo an external examination for practical or non-practical reasons." He further stated, "This decision was not made by the board alone. The decision was made in the meeting in which CDC officials also participated. If it is found unnecessary, the Ministry of Education will write a letter, and we will stop it."
