NBSE revises existing rules to align with NEP 2020 recommendations

Kohima, April 1 (MExN): Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) has revised its existing rules to align with NEP 2020 recommendations by incorporating new provisions in the conduct of examinations.

The board in a notification issued through the DIPR stated that to facilitate students to improve their grades or marks to pursue higher education with their choice of subjects, provision is given to qualified/passed candidates to appear Improvement Examination in the same year. A successful candidate at the HSLC/HSSLC Examination desirous of improving his/her performance shall be given one chance in June/July of the same year to appear in three or fewer subjects.

‘This provision will also help students to have the best of two examination options as envisioned in NEP 2020,’ it stated.

Provision for candidates who qualified at the HSLC Examination but secured Needs Improvement in one subject will be allowed to reappear in the Needs Improvement subject at the immediate examination so that they can apply for courses, fulfill certain recruitment criteria, and employment where they need to pass in all the subjects they have opted.

Besides the HSLC Compartmental Examination, Compartmental Examination for HSSLC students will be introduced w.e.f. 2023. Two chances to appear for Compartmental Examination will be allowed to clear the failed subjects to reduce and prevent the drop-out rate at HSLC and HSSLC Examination.

A candidate who appeared in the HSLC/HSSLC Examination conducted by the Board and was placed in Needs Improvement/Failed category shall be eligible to appear in all the subjects as Repeater in the subsequent Board Examination. This category of candidates shall appear in the HSLC/HSSLC Examination as per the prescribed syllabi and courses laid down for the examination concerned.

The Heads of Institutions have been requested to note the revised/new rules and disseminate them to the teachers, students, and parents/guardians. The revised/new rules will be implemented with effect from this year.

The following revised/new rules are enclosed as an annexure and it is also made available on the Board’s website www.nbsenl.edu.in:
• Rules relating to candidature for Improvement of Performance for HSLC & HSSLC Examination.
• Provision for needs improvement candidates in one subject to re-appear the said subject in the HSLC Examination.
• Rules relating to HSLC & HSSLC Compartmental Examination.
• Repeaters for HSLC and HSSLC Examinations.

Rules relating to candidature for Improvement of Performance for HSLC & HSSLC Examination:
• A successful candidate at the HSLC/HSSLC Examination desirous of improving his/her performance shall be given one chance in June/July of the same year to appear in three or fewer subjects.
• Improvement provision for HSLC/HSSLC candidates who qualified for the examination but secured Needs Improvement grade/failed in one subject.
• A successful candidate at the HSLC/HSSLC Examination with one needs improvement subject/failed subject is advised to avail the chance of improving his/her performance.
• Only one chance that is in June/July of the same year is permissible for improvement of performance.
• The result of the improvement examination shall in no way affect the overall ranking of the main examination.
• The candidate shall be given the option to choose his/her result from the two examinations (main and the improvement).
• A candidate who intends to appear in the Improvement Examination shall immediately contact the head of the institution in respect of regular candidates or the superintendent of the examination center where appeared last, in respect of private candidates to get their forms forwarded after the declaration of the results.
• The surrendered admit card, mark sheet cum certificate, mark sheet, and pass certificate/certificate of qualification are returnable only after publication of the results of the examination at the option given by the candidate in writing within fifteen days.

The revised/new rules will replace the old rules in Management of Examinations page 31, Rule 9.

Provision for needs improvement candidates in one subject to re-appear the said subject in HSLC Examination

As per the existing scheme of studies, to qualify for the HSLC Examination the following criteria are followed:
• An examinee must obtain Grade D or above in the 5 (five) externally assessed subjects, i.e. 40% marks in both external and internal, and Grade D or above in the 2 (two) internally assessed subjects.
• Securing the qualifying grade in Language-I is compulsory and it is not replaceable with any other subject.
• In the event of an examinee not securing a qualifying grade in one of the four externally assessed subjects (excluding Language-I) but securing a qualifying grade in the sixth subject, the qualifying grade of the sixth subject shall replace the ‘Needs Improvement’ grade.

Besides the existing qualifying criteria for HSLC, provision for candidates who wish to pursue a course or apply for employment or fulfill certain recruitment criteria shall be given to such students to appear in the Needs Improvement subject at the immediate Improvement/Compartmental Examination of HSLC.

Rules relating to HSLC & HSSLC Compartmental Examination:
• A Needs Improvement category candidate securing Needs Improvement grade in 3 (three) or fewer subjects at the HSLC Examination or failing in 3 (three) or fewer subjects at the HSSLC Examination is eligible to sit for the Compartmental Examination.
• An eligible candidate for compartmental shall reappear at the immediate compartmental examination to be held in June/July (after the result of the main examination is declared) in the same year. A candidate who fails to qualify/pass the Compartmental Examination (1st Chance) held during June/July can reappear in the failed subjects in February/March HSLC/HSSLC Examination next year under the compartmental category.

An eligible compartmental candidate who fails to avail of the 1st chance of appearing in the Compartmental Examination in June/July will also be given the 2nd chance to appear in the next HSLC/HSSLC Examination held during February/ March under the compartmental category.
• A candidate who does not appear or fail at one or both the chances of the compartment shall be treated to have failed the examination and shall be required to reappear in all subjects at the subsequent main examination of the Board as per the prescribed syllabi and courses laid down for the examination concerned to pass the examination.
• The syllabi and course for the Compartmental Examination will be the same as applicable for the main examination of the year concerned.
• The marks of internal assessment/practical/project marks of the main examination will be carried over to the compartmental examination.
• The criteria for qualifying/passing the compartmental examination shall be the same as that of the main HSLC/HSSLC Examination.
• A candidate who is eligible for Compartmental Examination and intends to appear in the said examination shall immediately contact the head of the institution in respect of regular candidates or the superintendent of the examination centre where appeared last, in respect of private candidates to get their forms forwarded.

The revised/new rules will replace old rules in Management of Examinations page 41, Rule 21.

Repeaters for HSLC and HSSLC Examinations

The revised/new rules will replace old rules given in Management of Examinations w.e.f. the date of issue of this notification.