Month: July 2021

After a lot of uncertainty regarding the conduct of NEET exams, NTA has finally released the dates and the exam is scheduled to be held on September 12, 2021. Registration has begun on the official website and the protocols for conduct of exam has been communicated.
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a national level examination that is important for students who need to take admission in a medical/dental course.

Even since the opening of application portal, candidates are confused about the code of eligibility to be filled.

To be eligible for NEET (UG) – 2021, candidates need to refer to the following for qualifying examination criteria.

CODE: 01

A candidate who is appearing in the qualifying examination, i.e., 12 Standard in 2021, whose result is awaited, may apply and appear in the test but he/she shall not be eligible for admission to the Undergraduate Medical Courses if he/she does not pass the qualifying examination with the required pass percentage at the time of first round of Counselling.
Candidates who have appeared or are appearing at the qualifying Examination with English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology as the main subject and expect to pass the Examination with the required percentage of marks are also eligible to apply and appear in the Competitive Entrance Examination. However, their candidature will be considered only if they provide documentary evidence of having passed the qualifying Examination with the required subjects and percentage of marks.

Code 02

The Higher/Senior Secondary Examination or the Indian School Certificate Examination which is equivalent to 10+2 Higher/Senior Secondary Examination after a period of 12 years study, the last two years of such study comprising of Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology (which shall include practical tests in these subjects) and Mathematics or any other elective subject with English at a level not less than the core course for English as prescribed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training after the introduction of the 10+2+3 educational structure as recommended by the National Committee on Education.
Candidates who have passed 10+2 from Open School or as private candidates shall not be eligible to appear for the ‘National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test’. Furthermore, a study of Biology/Biotechnology as an Additional Subject at 10+2 level also shall not be permissible.
The candidates who have passed 10+2 level with Biology as an additional subject will also be eligible for MBBS Entrance Examination (as per Hon’ble High Court Order No. 2341/-W/DHC/WRIT/D-1/2019 dated 24/09/2019 in the Writ Petition (C) No. 6773/2019. If the institute has to consider an examination of an Indian University or of a foreign/university to be equivalent to the 12 Class under 10+2 scheme/intermediate science examination, the candidates shall have to produce a certificate from the concerned Indian University/Association of Indian Universities to the effect that the examination passed by him/her is considered to be equivalent to the 12 class under 10+2 scheme/intermediate science examination.

CODE: 03

The Intermediate/Pre-degree Examination in Science of an Indian University/Board or other recognised examining body with Physics, Chemistry, Biology /Biotechnology (which shall include practical tests in these subjects) and also English as a compulsory subject.

CODE: 04

The Pre-professional/Pre-medical Examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English after passing either the Higher Secondary Examination or the Pre-University or an equivalent examination. The Preprofessional/Pre-medical examination shall include practical tests in these subjects and also English as a compulsory subject.

CODE: 05

The first year of the three years’ degree course of a recognised University with Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology including practical tests in these subjects provided the examination is a University Examination and candidate has passed the earlier qualifying examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology with English at a level not less than a core course.

CODE: 06

B.Sc. Examination of an Indian University provided that he/she has passed the B.Sc. Examination with not less than two of the subjects Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany, Zoology)/Biotechnology and further that he/ she has passed the earlier qualifying examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English.

CODE: 07

Any other examination which in scope and standard (Last 02 years of 10+2 Study comprising of Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology; which shall include practical test in these subjects) is found to be equivalent to the Intermediate Science Examination of an Indian University/Board, taking Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology including practical tests in each of these subjects and English.

Provided also that to be eligible for NEET (UG) – 2021, the candidate must have passed in Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English individually and must have obtained a minimum of 50% marks taken together in Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology at the qualifying examination as mentioned in the regulation of NMC & DCI. In addition, they must have got a rank in the merit list of NEET (UG) – 2021 for admission to Undergraduate Medical Courses.

In respect of the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes (NCL), the minimum marks obtained in Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology taken together in qualifying examination shall be 40% marks instead of 50% marks for Unreserved and General-EWS Candidates. In respect of PwBD candidates as per NMC and DCI Regulations, the minimum marks in the qualifying examination in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (or Botany & Zoology)/Biotechnology taken together shall be 40% instead of 50%.

Provided further that the students who have received education abroad and wish to seek admission into medical colleges in India must have passed in Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English with 50% marks in class 12 and their equivalency determined by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) as per regulations of the Medical Council of India and the concerned University.

The criteria for minimum qualifying marks to be eligible for admission to MBBS courses shall also be applicable to concerned INIs like AIIMS and JIPMER, reads the information bulletin reads.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday announced a special assessment scheme for the current academic session. The Class X and XII board exams will be split into two terms in the 2021-22 academic session. However, this scheme, according to a senior CBSE official, will be continued beyond the pandemic period as well.
The first term questions will be objective, which will take place in November-December 2021, while the second term exams will be subjective which will happen in March-April 2022.
Moreover, there will be no overlapping of syllabus in both these terms.
The final results will be declared on the basis of the performances of both these exams and equal weightage will be given to both the term exams.
As per the CBSE’s guidelines, at the end of the first term, the board will organize Term I examination in a flexible schedule to be conducted between November-December 2021 with a window period of four to eight weeks for schools situated in different parts of country and abroad.

The question paper will have Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) of 90-minute duration and during the pandemic period, it will cover only the rationalized syllabus of Term I.

At the end of the second term, the board would conduect Term II or year-end examination based on the rationalized syllabus.
The paper will be of 120-minute duration and will have subjective questions of different formats.
The responses of students will be captured on OMR sheets which, after scanning, may be directly uploaded at the CBSE portal. Alternatively, the sheets may be evaluated and marks obtained will be uploaded by the school on the very same day.

“Students will study only the specific syllabus meant for that particular term-end exam. No part of the first-term syllabus will be part of the second-term exam and vice-versa,” said the CBSE official.
As a learning from the Covid-19 situation, CBSE is also looking at keeping options of online exams as an exigency measure.
“Due to the pandemic, exams are getting postponed and cancelled. So, the online exam is one model which is also being planned,” said the official.
For the pandemic period, the Board has decided that in case the situation of the pandemic improves and students are able to come to schools or centres for taking the exams, exams will be conducted at schools/centres and the theory marks will be distributed equally between the two exams.
However, if schools remain closed in the November-December period but Term II exams are conducted in schools then Term I would be done by students online/offline from home and the weightage of this exam for the final score would be reduced while the weightage of Term II exams will be increased for declaration of final result. In a vice-versa scenario, the same rules will apply.
But in case of complete closure of schools for both the exams, results would be computed on the basis of the Internal Assessment/Practical/Project Work and Theory marks of Term-I and II exams taken by the candidate from home in Class X/XII.
“When the situation normalise, the Board will revert to its original schedule and conduct the Term I exam in October-November and Term II in February-March and for the full syllabus,” said the official.

Here’s What the board said in it’s official release:

1. Special Scheme for 2021-22

A. Academic session to be divided into 2 Terms with approximately 50% syllabus in each term:

The syllabus for the Academic session 2021-22 will be divided into 2 terms by following a systematic approach by looking into the interconnectivity of concepts and topics by the Subject Experts and the Board will conduct examinations at the end of each term on the basis of the bifurcated syllabus.

This is done to increase the probability of having a Board conducted classes X and XII examinations at the end of the academic session 2021.

B. The syllabus for the Board examination 2021-22 will be rationalized similar to that of the last academic session to be notified in July 2021. For academic transactions, however, schools will follow the curriculum and syllabus released by the Board vide Circular no. F.1001/CBSE-Acad/Curriculum/2021 dated 31 March 2021. Schools will also use alternative academic calendar and inputs from the NCERT on transacting the curriculum.

C. Efforts will be made to make Internal Assessment/ Practical/ Project work more credible and valid as per the guidelines and Moderation Policy to be announced by the Board to ensure fair distribution of marks.

2. Details of Curriculum Transaction

•  Schools will continue teaching in distance mode till the authorities permit in-person mode of teaching in schools. 
•  Classes IX-X: Internal Assessment (throughout the year-irrespective of Term I and II) would include the 3 periodic tests, student enrichment, portfolio and practical work/ speaking listening activities/ projects. 
•  Classes XI-XII: Internal Assessment (throughout the year-irrespective of Term I and II) would include end of topic or unit tests/ exploratory activities/ practicals/ projects. 
•  Schools would create a student profile for all assessments undertaken over the year and retain the evidence in digital format. 
•  CBSE will facilitate schools to upload marks of Internal Assessment on the CBSE IT platform. 
•  Guidelines for Internal Assessment for all subjects will also be released along with the rationalized term wise divided syllabus for the session 2021-22.The board would also provide additional resources like sample assessments, question banks, teacher training etc. for more reliable and valid internal assessments.

3. Term I Examinations:

•  At the end of the first term, the Board will organize Term I Examination in a flexible schedule to be conducted between November-December 2021 with a window period of 4-8 weeks for schools situated in different parts of the country and abroad. Dates for conduct of examinations will be notified subsequently. 
•  The Question Paper will have Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) including case-based MCQs and MCQs on assertion-reasoning type. Duration of test will be 90 minutes and it will cover only the rationalized syllabus of Term I only (i.e. approx. 50% of the entire syllabus). 
•  Question Papers will be sent by the CBSE to schools along with a marking scheme. 
•  The exams will be conducted under the supervision of the External Center Superintendents and Observers appointed by CBSE. 
•  The responses of students will be captured on OMR sheets which, after scanning may be directly uploaded at CBSE portal or alternatively may be evaluated and marks obtained will be uploaded by the school on the very same day. The final direction in this regard will be conveyed to schools by the Examination Unit of the Board. 
•  Marks of the Term I Examination will contribute to the final overall score of students. 

4. Term II Examination/ Year-end Examination:

•  At the end of the second term, the Board would organize Term II or Year-end Examination based on the rationalized syllabus of Term II only (i.e. approximately 50% of the entire syllabus). 
•  This examination would be held around March-April 2022 at the examination centres fixed by the Board. 
•  The paper will be of 2 hours duration and have questions of different formats (case-based/ situation based, open ended- short answer/ long answer type). 
•  In case the situation is not conducive for normal descriptive examination a 90 minute MCQ based exam will be conducted at the end of the Term II also. 
•  Marks of the Term II Examination would contribute to the final overall score.

5. Assessment / Examination as per different situations.

A. In case the situation of the pandemic improves and students are able to come to schools or centres for taking the exams. Board would conduct Term I and Term II examinations at schools/centres and the theory marks will be distributed equally between the two exams.

B. In case the pandemic forces complete closure of schools during November-December 2021, Term II exams are held at schools or centres. Term I MCQ based examination would be done by students online/offline from home – in this case, the weightage of this exam for the final score would be reduced, and weightage of Term II exams will be increased for declaration of the final result.

C. In case the situation of the pandemic forces complete closure of schools during March-April 2022, but Term I exams are held at schools or centres. Results would be based on the performance of students on Term I MCQ based examination and internal assessments. The weightage of marks of Term I examination conducted by the Board will be increased to provide year end results of candidates.

D. In case the situation of the pandemic forces complete closure of schools and Board conducted Term I and II exams are taken by the candidates from home in the session 2021-22.

Results would be computed on the basis of the Internal Assessment/Practical/Project Work and Theory marks of Term-I and II exams taken by the candidate from home in Class X / XII subject to the moderation or other measures to ensure validity and reliability of the assessment. In all the above cases, data analysis of marks of students will be undertaken to ensure the integrity of internal assessments and home based exams.