How New CBSE Exam Formats For Classes 11 & 12 Will Change Students Approach

The percentage of competency-based questions in the form of MCQs, case-based and source-based questions has been increased from 40 to 50 percent.

How New CBSE Exam Formats For Classes 11 & 12 Will Change Students Approach: To meet the ever-growing demands in the educational field and prepare students for contemporary times, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) earlier made some major changes in the examination models for Classes 11 and 12. The changes in the CBSE examination patterns, effective from 2025, are aimed at promoting holistic development and critical thinking among students and cover various areas, from question format to marking scheme.

New CBSE Exam Formats For Classes 11 & 12

One major change is the decline in the importance of final exam results from 100 to 80 per cent. The rest of the marks will be calculated based on assessments, practical exams and project work, which make up the remaining 20 per cent.

The reason behind these kinds of changes is to create an ecosystem that reduces rote learning and focuses on skill-based application of the concepts taught in the classroom. This is to enable students to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to face new challenges.

The percentage of competency-based questions in the form of MCQs, case-based and source-based questions has been increased from 40 to 50 per cent, while the percentage of constructed answer questions containing both short and long answers has been reduced from 40 to 30 per cent.

The changes in the CBSE exam pattern can have a significant impact on students. With the increase in competency-based questions, students will be able to apply practical skills in everyday learning and their understanding of the topics covered in class can be enhanced, leading to the in-depth conceptualisation of the topics. Adapting to the new assessment methods and mastering application-based questions may require a change in mindset and study habits.

The greater focus on internal assessments in the CBSE exams may require consistent efforts throughout the academic year rather than last-minute efforts. Successful implementation of the new pattern of CBSE exams requires the preparation of teachers and schools. Teacher training programs play a key role in helping teachers pick up their respective skills and knowledge to adapt to the pervasive changes. An internalised action needs to be advocated in schools to make the assessment procedures robust and effective.