Students To Get Option Of Appearing In 10th, 12th Board Exams Twice From 2025-26: Dharmendra Pradhan

One of the objectives of the new National Education Policy (NEP), unveiled in 2020, was to reduce academic stress on students, Pradhan said.

Dharmendra Pradhan launches PM SHRI scheme in Chhattisgarh. (File Photo)

Raipur: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has announced that students will have the option of taking the 10th and 12th class board examinations twice a year starting from the academic session 2025-26. One of the objectives of the new National Education Policy (NEP), introduced in 2020, is to alleviate the academic stress on students, Pradhan mentioned on Monday while inaugurating the PM SHRI (Prime Minister Schools for Rising India) scheme in Chhattisgarh. Under this scheme, 211 schools in the state will undergo upgrades. The event took place at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Raipur, as reported by PTI.

Talking about the idea of implementing 10 bag-less days in schools annually, the minister highlighted the importance of involving students in activities such as art, culture, and sports, among others.

On the Centre's plan under the NEP 2020, Pradhan said from the 2025-26 academic session, students will get an opportunity to appear for the 10th and 12th class board exams twice.

As per the New Curriculum Framework (NCF) released by the Ministry of Education in August of the previous year, board examinations will be conducted at least twice annually to provide students with ample time and opportunities to excel. Additionally, students will have the choice to retain their best score.

During the function, Pradhan inquired of the students in attendance whether they were pleased with the decision, urging them to retain the highest marks achieved after participating in both examinations.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's vision through the NEP is to keep students stress-free, enrich them with quality education, keep students linked with culture and prepare them for the future. This is the formula for making India a developed country by 2047," he said.

Pradhan criticized the previous Congress government in the state, asserting that education was not its priority. However, he highlighted that the education sector has been given utmost importance since the BJP came to power and new Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai assumed office in December of the previous year.

In the first phase of the PM SHRI scheme, 211 schools (193 elementary level and 18 secondary ones) will be upgraded in Chhattisgarh on a 'hub and spoke' model by spending Rs 2 crore on each of them, the Union minister said.

Under this model, the mentor institution, referred to as the 'hub,' will be centralized and tasked with guiding the mentee institution through secondary branches known as the 'spokes.' The mentor institution will offer services to the mentee to facilitate self-improvement and development.

As per a request made by Chhattisgarh's School and Higher Education Minister Brijmohan Agrawal, more secondary and higher secondary schools will be covered under the scheme in its next phase, Pradhan said.

He said India will bid to host the 2036 Olympics Games and he expects that 10 percent of medals for the country in the quadrennial event should come from Chhattisgarh athletes and preparations for it should start from this year itself.