CBSE News: Another BIG Update on Term 1 Exam MCQ Pattern, 50% MCQs will be Competency-based in CBSE Class 10 and 12 Nov Boards – Times of India

CBSE Circular Acad – 88/2021 on Competency-based MCQs weightage

Based on a circular (given above), CBSE provided a critical update via video call that is going to make the task for school teachers for final practice of students a bit difficult. More than 50% paper will come on competency-based MCQs in Term 1 Board Exam starting 30 November 2021. Although the CBSE Sample Paper provided on 2 September 2021 provides the paper pattern, CBSE clarified that many teachers and students are getting confused about the nature of MCQs asked in it and practising the wrong type of MCQs.

The video call was like a webinar arranged with school teachers exclusively for various subjects, explaining what to expect and how the practice Questions should be prepared for these final few weeks.

We have created a subject-wise important points based analysis of those video calls, to help all students and teachers understand the new update. Do read till the end so that you don’t miss any important details.

SCIENCE

1. Competency-based MCQs are not the complex case-based MCQs with a diagram and case-study paragraph in it. It can be a diagram, table, statement-combination or labelling based MCQ, which already comprises 50% of CBSE Class 10 Science sample paper that was provided.

2. Students should seriously consider final sample paper practice of November Boards from this provided resource of Class 10 and Class 12 books. Emphasis on Time Management of 1.5 hour paper was given and useful tips and how to structure the paper time for each section was explained. All of this is made available in the above books of respective subjects provided.

3. The below example was given on how Stand Alone MCQs will be used for assessment of competencies in the upcoming Term 1 paper.

Stand Alone MCQs based on a diagram to make the HOTS easier to use for students as discussed in CBSE Science Webinar hosted on 5 October 2021

4. A Stand Alone MCQ can also be competency-based in nature if it has a diagram as a diagnostic tool to provide visual representation of a technical process to the students that will help them use their analytical and critical skills (HOTS) readily.

5. This CBE (competency based education) applies to Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects of CBSE Class 12 Term 1 Boards as well. For more information on CBE, CBSE suggested we visit cbseacademic.nic.in/cbe.

MATHEMATICS

1. In Mathematics, all the similar parameters used to develop Term 1 MCQs, including simple, complex and case study-based questions were covered.

2. As shown in the question below, the questions must be asked in a way that the students are using their low order skills (remember and understanding) along with high order skills (applying, analysing, evaluating and creating).

A/ R MCQs like shown above were explained to encourage use of low and high order skills

3. These examples were compared to those in the CBSE Term 1 Sample Papers and we found that there are actually mixed type MCQs that include process-driven and diagram MCQs, to test high order skills.

4. CBSE experts suggested that understanding the nature of competency-based exams (analytical, inference based or critical evaluation) is important for teachers to form questions for Term 1 boards practice.

5. For these types of competency MCQs, this book for Class 10 and Class 12 was suggested to get clarity on final practice of Term 1 papers that has these new types of expected competency questions.

6. CBSE’s own competency based Question Bank PDF was suggested too (available on the official website) but it has no solutions, so the books given above (in collaboration with Educart) are suggested to be most suitable at this point.

ENGLISH

1. With the question given below (as an example for the writing section), it was clarified that no MCQs will be asked based on a standard format for letters, stories, articles, etc.

2. Instead, the MCQs will demand the students to use their reading, understanding, analytical and decision making skills as well. See an example below.

MCQs based on the Writing section to encourage the use of competencies as discussed in CBSE English Webinar

3. Assertion/Reason MCQs can be asked in the Literature and Reading section of Class 10 and 12. Students need to practice such MCQs as well to be fully prepared.

4. Expect more than 50% of questions of such types in English of CBSE Class 10 and 12.

5. These questions test similar high order skills of the students like reading, analysing and reasoning as in Science and Social Science but with a non-technical approach. They also test low order skills in students (remembering and understanding).

In absence of good study material especially for English, this Class 10 English and Class 12 English Core Book was suggested as a good resource for such MCQ based papers final Term 1 practice.

We hope the article was able to convey all the important revelations in the CBSE webinars. The video calls concluded with a hope that the use of competency based assessment is the need of the hour as part of our NEP and teachers need to use the tools and resource material provided diligently to provide the correct pedagogy.

Do refer to provided links in the article of book resources of CBSE to benefit in these final few weeks of practice.