As per CBSE Board’s assessment policy, it proposes to repeal the Split Exam Policy and Two terms which were just implemented last year in response to the extraordinary conditions during the pandemic. According to the new circular, the board aims to hold only one exam at the end of the 2022-23 school year. The schools and training centers providing teacher training courses in Hyderabad claim that these frequent changes are leading to a lot of confusion and frustration.

New Exam Pattern: A General Overview

Before delving right into the details about the exam patterns of CBSE classes 10 and 12, here is a general overview of the new changes:

  • As per the new regulation at the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year, there will only be one board examination or one term as was formerly the standard.
  • As per the curriculum, the full syllabus will have to be covered before the final examinations.
  • Class 10 question papers will contain 40% MCQ, 20% competency-based questions, and 40% either subjective or short or long response type questions.
  • Class 12 question papers of 2023 will contain 30% competency-based, 20% objective-based, and 50% short or long-response type questions.
  • Internal assessment for classes 10 and 12 will cover marks for exploratory topics, unit tests, projects, and practical exams.
  • As per the revised pattern of 2022-23, learners will be assessed throughout the year.


Modified Assessment Scheme

Here is a run-down of the new exam pattern for classes 10 and 12 individually:

1. CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2023

As per the new modification in the assessment policy of CBSE Board exams 2022-23, at least 40% of the questions in Std 9 and 10 will be competency-based. These questions will include source-based, case-based integrated, multiple choice questions, or any other form of inquiry-type questions.

Additionally, 20% of the questions will b objective type and 40% will be short or long answer type questions. In 2022, 30% of the questions in terms 1 and 2 were competence-based.

2. CBSE Class 12 Board Exams 2023

For Class 12 in 2022-23 a minimum of 30% of questions shall be competency-based in the form of multiple-choice, source-based integrated, case-based, or any other question type. Moreover, objective-type questions will be weighted at 20% with the remaining 50% allocated to either short or long-response-type questions. In the previous year, 20% of the questions were competence-based.

Schools Adopting To New Changes

The term 'competency-based exam' was unfamiliar to parents, students, and even school principals. Many students became anxious and stressed about the new regulations as there were only a few months left before the exam.

Students state that teachers were unaware of the changes and the new pattern and had very little knowledge of the weightage of the question types. They also claimed that teachers were just rushing to complete the syllabus and subjects like mass media, fashion studies, and humanities received the least attention even though they were included in the exams.

Even parents reported that after the new regulation, students had very little time to sleep and were living in a state of fear constantly. They also said that the schools were disorganized and students were compelled to study by themselves. After hours of school and tuition classes, students were still referring to only study materials to study on their own.

The ever-changing exam patterns by CBSE are causing panic and putting pressure on both students and teachers alike. As per the Union Education Ministry, CBSE has advised schools to follow the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Some of the most notable changes that were requested are:

  • Competency-based learning.
  • Adoption of learning outcomes.
  • Use of joyful and experiential learning pedagogies that involve sports-integrated learning, storytelling, arts-integrated learning, etc.
  • Emphasis on foundational numeracy and literacy.
  • Facilitating capacity building of teachers.


The Bottom Line

The board exams for Class 12 will commence on 15th February 2023 and Class 10 will start on 13th March 2023. This creates a situation of panic, and students are still trying to cope with their learning capabilities and exam pattern. The major changes were in the total number of questions and the question types for all subjects as discussed above. If these changes intrigue you and you are aspiring to be a teacher, consider pursuing teacher training courses in Hyderabad to turn your dream into reality.


Written By : Sanjana