What is WRONG with Your Board Exams? | Marks Moderation

Summary

The video discusses the flaws in India's education system, focusing on how inconsistent board exam marking impacts university admissions. Examples include the disproportionate number of students from specific schools and states getting into top colleges like Delhi University due to inflated board marks. The video highlights the proposal for entrance exams to standardize admissions, though it may increase pressure on students. It also touches on the political influence on exam results and the need for increased infrastructure and capacity in educational institutions to address the root causes of these issues.

Takeaways

• 🏫 Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan in Erode has a strong record of sending students to Delhi University's SRCC, with 50 out of 160 B.Com Hons students in 2016 being from this school.
• 📈 In 2016, 99 out of 100 applicants with 100% marks for Hindu College's BA (Hons) Political Science program were from Kerala.
• ⚖️ A DU professor accused Hindu College of favoring students from Kerala due to high marks from the Kerala board.
• 🎓 Delhi University announced that it would conduct entrance exams instead of relying solely on board marks for admissions.
• 🔢 The policy of moderation by CBSE and state boards inflates marks to balance exam difficulty, leading to high cut-off marks.
• 📉 The pass rate in UP high school exams fluctuates based on the political party in power, illustrating political influence on education.
• 📚 Many state boards inflate marks for political reasons, affecting students from stricter boards in university admissions.
• 🏥 The Indian education system faces a supply-demand mismatch, with far more applicants than available seats in colleges and universities.
• 💼 Companies often distrust university degrees due to inconsistent marking standards, leading to reliance on additional skills training.
• 🏢 Solutions include increasing the capacity and quality of educational institutes, but entrance exams alone will not resolve all systemic issues.

Q & A

What is the connection between Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan and Delhi University's Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)?

In 2016, 50 out of the 160 candidates admitted to SRCC's popular B.Com Hons program were pass outs of Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan.

Why did a professor at Kirori Mal College accuse Hindu College of favoritism?

The professor alleged that Hindu College was favoring students from Kerala because 99 out of 100 students who applied to the BA (Hons) program in Political Science with 100% marks were from Kerala.

What prompted Delhi University (DU) to announce the shift from board marks to an entrance exam for admissions?

The lack of an objective criteria for admission and the issues with inflated board marks led DU to announce that they would conduct an entrance exam instead of relying on board marks.

How did the policy of moderation impact students' marks in the CBSE board exams?

Moderation led to inflated marks, where students' scores were increased significantly. For example, in 2016 and 2017, CBSE increased math scores by 16 and 11 marks respectively, capping the maximum marks at 95.

What challenges did DU face with cut-off marks and admissions due to inflated board marks?

DU faced issues where the cut-off marks for several colleges were almost 100%, resulting in over-admission. For instance, Dyal Singh College had to admit 327 students for the BA(Hons) History program, which had a capacity of 77 seats, because all these students scored above the cut-off marks.

How did political influence affect the pass rates of state board exams in India?

Political influence led to mark inflation, as governments pressured state boards to increase pass rates to gain favor with students and their families, who are valuable vote banks.

What impact did the lack of standardization across different state boards have on university admissions?

The lack of standardization meant that students from boards with more liberal marking systems had an advantage over those from stricter boards, leading to disparities in university admissions based on absolute marks.

What is the potential downside of introducing entrance exams for university admissions?

Entrance exams might increase the mental and financial pressure on students and their families, especially those from poor backgrounds, as they have to prepare for another exam and may need to spend on coaching.

What long-term solutions are suggested to address the issues in the Indian educational system?

To address the issues, there needs to be an increase in both the quantity and quality of educational institutes. This includes building new institutes and increasing the capacity of existing ones.

How has the role of edtech companies like Coding Ninjas evolved in the context of the Indian education system?

Edtech companies like Coding Ninjas have stepped in to fill skill gaps, offering programming-based courses and access to alumni networks, helping students become more job-ready in a competitive market.