Karnataka to consider 20 marks for internal assessment in pre-university exams

From the current academic year, Internal Assessment (IA) worth 20 marks will be considered for final exams in all Pre-University subject, the Karnataka government has decided.

The Department of Pre-University Education has changed the examination pattern. The new pattern will be applicable from the 2023-24 final exams. 

Currently, IA marks are applicable only for a few subjects with practical components. This includes physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, home science and electronics. In these subjects, 30 marks are considered from the practical exams.

From this year, all 37 subjects will have IA of 20 marks - 10 marks will come from the average of unit tests and 10 marks from projects or assignments.

According to sources, this move is mainly to push the pass percentage in the 2nd PU final exams.

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The department has instructed PU colleges to stick to the timelines to conduct the assessments and upload the marks on the Student Achievement Tracking System (SATS).

This academic year, the final exams will be held for 80 marks. While the total marks for the theory exams have been reduced, there will not be any changes in the duration of the exam.

Announcing this at a news conference, School Education & Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that this change has been brought based on demands from several teachers and students. "Learning should be a continuous process and IA will reduce pressure on students. These changes are in the interest of students," he said.

Explaining the process, PU Director Sindhu Roopesh said that the new system was being planned for the last six months. "Mathematics teachers especially were demanding that IA marks should be considered for final exams. This is based on the CBSE exam pattern," she said.

The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board will release the blueprint of the new question paper.

However, the new system will not cover private candidates and repeaters. They have to write the exams in the old format for 100 marks.