CBSE changes exam format for Classes 11, 12 from 2024-25; to focus more on concept clarity

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on April 4 announced some major changes in the examination patterns of classes 11 and 12 from 2024-25 session, which will put more focus on the application of concepts.

The exams will have more competency-based questions that assess the application of concepts in real-life situations, according to CBSE officials who announced a change in the format.

Under the new format, the percentage of competency-focused questions in the form of multiple choice questions (MCQs), case-based questions, source-based integrated questions or any other type has gone up from 40 to 50 percent, while the percentage of constructed response questions including short and long answers has been reduced from 40 to 30 percent, CBSE said.

"The board in accordance with National Education Policy, 2020 has taken multiple steps towards implementation of Competency Based Education in schools, ranging from aligning assessment to competencies, development of exemplar resources for teachers and students as well as continuous capacity building of the teachers etc," said Joseph Emanuel, director (academics), CBSE. "The main emphasis of the board was to create an educational ecosystem that would move away from rote memorization and towards learning that is focused on developing the creative, critical and systems thinking capacities of students to meet the challenges of the 21st century," he added.