Ask the CBSE
The Central Board of Secondary Education answers questions relating to its examinations from The Hindu readers.
Readers are welcome to send in questions primarily to those relating to Class X and XII examinations to cbsehelp@thehindu.co.in, which will be forwarded to the CBSE.
Answers to select questions will be published in these columns in subsequent instalments.
The purpose of this series is also to help reduce examination-related stress in students.
Is the CBSE Board examination paper strictly in accordance with the design and blueprint of the sample papers?
(Celestine Preetham, Class X, St. John's, Besant Nagar, Chennai)
The Board examination question papers are based on the design and blueprint of the sample question papers published by the CBSE in terms of the type and number of questions, allotment of marks for different units/lessons, internal choices and distribution of questions to test knowledge, understanding, application and skills.
Does the CBSE have in the curriculum the time to be allocated by the teachers for subject portions to be covered in the class? Has the CBSE verified how far portions are left not covered or partially left out due to short of time? How many teaching hours are allocated for an academic portion in each subject, with break-ups, lesson-wise?
Are we not loading students with data, treating them like computers, without focusing on improving and strengthening their minds for analysis?
Is the CBSE getting feedback regarding time allocated by the faculty for the subjects? Does the CBSE have a chart flow of time management to be followed by schools?
Have newly introduced subjects such as Economics and Computer Science been properly blended with previously followed subjects such as English, Language, Science, Social Studies, Maths?
Does the CBSE try to find out if the faculty is running out of time to teach? Does the CBSE ask, through a questionnaire, faculty members if they can justify the time allocation on each subject?
Do students really benefit by learning, and being evaluated for, Economics (of course, the basics) at the Class X level?
Has the CBSE ever wondered if it is seeking to make students `Jack of all and master of none'?
Do not allow politics in what should be added in History or what should be deleted in History.
Blend History (learning from the past), Economics (learning of the future), Computer (learning of today), and Science (to know human and human ideas) — all in the right proportion.
(Pradeep Chordia)
Your queries and suggestions are well taken. There is a split-up syllabus and apportioning of time for teaching different components/topics in the syllabus which is expected to be followed in schools.
The CBSE publishes Secondary School Curriculum and Senior School Curriculum every year.
Besides the syllabus and examination specifications of various subjects for Classes IX to XII, these documents also specify the split-up of syllabus with time allocated for each unit/lesson in terms of number of teaching periods. The CBSE keeps sending guidelines and instructions to its affiliated schools from time to time about proper curriculum organisation and efficient time management.
Your suggestion for inter-disciplinary and cross-curricular learning is indeed welcome and the new NCERT Curriculum Framework - 2005 has taken this into account by providing linkages between different components in Science and Social Science.
Languages are already cross-curricular in nature and when teachers adopt appropriate techniques, they will make students sensitive to the inter-disciplinary nature of knowledge and skills.
The CBSE's curricular innovations like Education in Life Skills, Mathematics Laboratory and greater weightage to hands-on experience are intended to, besides other things, promote learning across the curriculum.
As for your reference to `Jack of all and master of none', you should know that up to the secondary level our country follows general education and it is only from senior secondary level some specialisation is introduced on the basis of each learner's aptitude and interest.
Nevertheless, every learner can aspire for expert learning at any level. Learning has no boundaries.
My son had been studying in Kendriya Vidyalaya IIT Bombay for the last eight years. Now we have shifted to Bangalore and he is studying in Class XI in one of the KVs. Will my son be eligible to appear for CET in Bangalore/Karnataka after Class XII? I await your reply anxiously.
(Anuradha Mitra)
Yes, your son can choose Bangalore as a centre for the AIPMT/AIEEE conducted by CBSE. For CET, you need to contact the local State authority.
I am appearing for the Class XII examinations in 2007. Is it compulsory to answer the questions in the order in which they appear, that is, serially? Or can we answer in the order of our personal choice or preference?
You may write answers in any order. It is not compulsory to write answers to questions in the same order as they appear in the question paper.
However, ensure that you indicate the correct question number against each of your answers.
A Board examination question reads as follows: "An object is placed at a distance of 12 cm in front of a concave mirror. It forms a real image four times larger than the object. Calculate the distance of the image from the mirror." In the key, the answer was v = -48 cm, taking that m = -4.
But in the question, it is stated that the image is four times larger than the object, which implies that the image is five times the size of the object, which implies that m = -5, which implies that v = -60 cm. How are we to interpret this question, m = -4 or m = -5 and why?
(Vicky Iyer)
The question is to be interpreted as m = -4. Hence the answer given in the key is correct.
As a Class X student, I would like to know the format for notice, message and letter writing as different books provide different formats.
(Manjari Shankar)
The format for short writing tasks like notice, message, post card and telegram is given in different units of the Main Course Book as well as the Work Book of Class IX and X English Communicative. Follow the standard format given in the MCB and Work Book.
I am a Class X student, session 2006-2007. I need the latest syllabus for Physics and the details of what topics have been deleted from the syllabus for session 2005-2006.
(Richa Goyal)
You may refer to the Board's document `Secondary School Curriculum 2007, Volume I'. There are no further changes or deletions in the syllabus.
In the Class X NCERT Science text, the escape velocity of a rocket is given as 8 km/second. But the correct answer is 11.2 km/s (Chapter: Universe). How should I handle this while answering for the examination?
Will questions be asked on the information in the red boxes in Science and Social Science NCERT textbooks? I want to know the chapter-wise weightage of marks in science. (syllabus of Class X).
(Shashi Rekha)
The accepted correct value of escape velocity on earth is 11.2 km/s. As mentioned in the preface to the NCERT textbook, the matter in red border boxes in the book is non-evaluative.
The chapter-wise weightage to different units of the syllabus is given in the document `Secondary School Curriculum 2007, Volume I'. Please refer to the same.
What are the deleted portions for Class X board exam?
Ajesh Surendran
There are a few sub-topics in Class X syllabus in Science which have been deleted for March 2007 Examination. The detailed Circular no. 25 dated May 24, 2005, which is still on the CBSE website, reflects all these deletions.
I am in Chennai and I want CBSE textbooks from Class I to X. Please tell me the procedure for obtaining them.
Muhammed Ishaq
CBSE does not prescribe textbooks for classes I to VIII. All the schools affiliated to the Board are required to follow the syllabus and course materials that are based on the National Curriculum Framework prepared by NCERT.
CBSE prescribes NCERT textbooks in different subjects for Classes IX and X. In some subjects such as English Communicative and Sanskrit Communicative and Education in Disaster Management as part of Social Science, CBSE publishes its own course materials.
You may get the list of NCERT textbooks from the NCERT website www.ncert.nic.in and for CBSE publications you may visit the CBSE Regional Office at Chennai.
CBSE has revised the syllabus of Class X and XII for the academic year 2007-08.
But the revised syllabus is not available on the websites of CBSE or NCERT so far.
Last year, due to non-availability of books, many CBSE students were put to hardship. Please upload the syllabus at least on the site for reference.
Chief Coordinator, IIT-JEE/MED.ENT./AIEEE
The CBSE Secondary School Curriculum (Classes IX & X) and Senior School Curriculum (Classes XI & XII) 2008 are available on the CBSE website. NCERT and CBSE are making every effort to make the new textbooks available in adequate quantity to all schools. The new textbooks will also be available on the NCERT website and they can be downloaded.
Are Class XII students allowed to use the science data book (commonly known as the logarithm book) during the Board exams? Some schools provide the book whereas some provide a sheet containing the logarithm tables only. Many students find it difficult to remember all the details regarding the periodic table, values of certain constants, etc.
There are different types of science data books. The students are allowed to carry ordinary logarithm tables for calculation work in the examination.
However, the other science data books containing variety of information, say SI units, values of constants, etc. are not allowed.
The required information is generally given in the question paper itself.
Are we allowed to use coloured pens, except blue, in the examination?
Amit Jyoti Sandhu
You are allowed to use blue or black colour pen in writing your examination. You can also use pencil to draw diagrams, underline, highlight, etc.
From which orbit do satellites transmit signals and why?
What will happen if the structure of R.B.C. becomes biconvex?
Ashoka Sarma
Telephone and television signals are transmitted back by satellites in Equational orbits.
Such satellites are called Geostationary satellites. The time period of these satellites should be equal to the time period of rotation of the earth.
Due to decrease in the surface area, the oxygen carrying capacity of the cells will be reduced.
I have applied for improvement exam-2007, but till now I have not received the admit card. I have been frequently calling the regional office and they tell me that I will receive it within one week.
This process has been continuing for the past one month.
In case I do not receive the admit card, what should I do to appear for the exam?
Anang Pillai
Admit cards have been dispatched. You must have received it by now. If you have not received it yet, please contact the Regional Officer, CBSE, Chennai, at phone number 044-26161100.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Education Plus
Karnataka
Chennai
Coimbatore
Hyderabad
Madurai
Tiruchirapalli
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
