One hundred and ninety three students scoring 100 per cent marks in Maharashtra Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Class X examination shows how competition has intensified at high school level. The scoring pattern has changed in recent times and that gives scope for students to achieve their best. Healthy competition at all levels is good for building up a good career. As such it does not bother much as we go in for academics in MBA and other professional courses and the competitive level of scoring high marks never ends. Even for campus interviews, students scoring high marks are preferred and the entry to IIM in India is made possible if you are able to be remain in limelight throughout your career.
The marks from SSC, HSC are counted when the employer’s view your career map before deciding about your appointment. In this context it is definitely a cause for celebration but at the same time, it is not the be all and end all in your long and illustrious career. After all, knowledge is power and the way students have scored 100 per cent this year is not a hindrance but one more stepping stone to success. Competitive spirit must be carried on throughout your career and for which the high scoring attitude brings better prospects in your academic and professional career.
Schools in Mumbai have put in lots of effort work and that went into maintaining their 100 per cent success rate. We have seen schools working extensively on the new pattern introduced for languages and that has helped to ensure that students do not suffer much. Apart from cent percent success in schools more than 100 students have bagged the distinction and that augurs well for improving the standard of education and there is no regret as more and more students have scored 100 per cent this year.
As in the past, girls have performed better than boys and that is a cause for cheer. However, the pass percentage has decreased overall and so for admission process there is a cause to celebrate as less candidates will be seeking admission to engineering and medical stream this year. Accurate assessments in high-school examinations are important, not just because those scores are indicator of an individual student’s accomplishments and ability but also because those marks when aggregated, are a metric to track teaching standards and learning outcomes in schools across the country. Examinations and assessments need to be reliable over a period of time.
For example, it should not be significantly easier to score 100 in the Class 12 Mathematics paper, five years from now – than it is currently. The teaching part in coaching classes have been upgraded to match the new pattern and high scoring is the order of the day and fierce competition will continue from hereon.
Jayanthy Subramaniam
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
