From the year 2010, no pass, fail or compartmental anymore. Now, CBSE board has made it clear that such words will be erased from the marksheets of the students from the next year.  This decision comes hand-in-hand with the Tuesday's announcement that the students of CBSE board would get up to three chances for clearing the Class IXth and Xth exams, in case they fail to clear the exam. At the bottom of the score sheet, terms like pass (P), fail (F) and compartmental (C) are mentioned along with the aggregate grade.

Mr. Vineet Joshi, the chairman of CBSE Board, said, "Till now, anyone who scored below 33% in two subjects got a D-grade and was marked fail' in the aggregate. They were then required to take the compartmental examinations held a year later. We have already decided that henceforth, a student will be given another three chances even if he gets below 33% in all five subjects. We have also decided to do away with words like fail', pass' and compartmental' in the score sheets."


At the end of the score sheet, the board will no longer mention either pass' or fail'. "We think the word fail' still carries a social stigma. A simple mention of it at the end of the marksheet will put a lot of pressure on the child. Thus, the decision," also added Joshi. However the rules are set to change only till class X. Joshi also explained, "Score sheets of class XI and XII will still mention either pass, fail or compartmental for the moment."

According to the principal of Mahadevi Birla Girls' Higher Secondary School Malini Bhagat , "With the word fail', millions of people have gone into depression, or worse. There is an emotional trauma attached to it. The very mention of the word makes students shudder. It becomes a permanent seal or stamp, even if he scores good marks later in other examinations. The concept being developed by CBSE is unique. It will ensure that more students are encouraged to study carefree." Her views were also echoed by Meena Kak who is the principal of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy. She says, "Replacing the word fail' with needs improvement' is a much better option. The word fail' frustrates students and makes them succumb to unnecessary exam tension."

During a day-long orientation program held by CBSE Board in the city on Tuesday, a majority of school principals have also decided that a discussion will be held with parents to make them understand the necessity of taking the class X exam, which has been made now optional by the board.

Bhagat concludes,"We cannot simply allow students to refuse to take the examination as they should be aware how much they have learnt during all these years till class X." For the first time, CBSE board will introduce a percentile rank card which will be issued on demand. It will be based on a Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) System spread over classes IX and X through four formative and two summative examinations in each of the two classes.

A city school principal said,"The report cards based on the CCE for classes IX and X will only have the signature of the student and not those of the parents. It is a unique step taken by the board."