The best of five rule in CBSE board exams
The best of five rule in CBSE board exams
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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in India follows a "best of five" rule to calculate the percentage of a student's performance in Class 10 or 12 board exams. Under this rule, the student's percentage is calculated based on the top five scores out of six subjects, which includes one language subject (typically English) and four other subjects in which the student scores the highest marks.
The best of five rule is primarily used to provide some relief to students who might have struggled in one subject but have done well in others. For instance, a student who has scored low marks in Mathematics, but has excelled in other subjects, can still secure a good percentage under this rule.
The best of five rule is applicable to both regular and private candidates appearing for the CBSE board exams.
The rule is also applicable to students who have opted for additional subjects. In such cases, the marks obtained in the additional subject(s) are considered only if they improve the overall percentage of the student.
While the best of five rule is a boon for students who might have struggled in one subject, it can also be a disadvantage for students who have done well in all six subjects. Such students might feel that their efforts in the sixth subject have gone to waste as it is not counted in the final percentage calculation.
The best of five rule is not applicable to certain professional courses like engineering or medical, where the eligibility for admission is based on the marks obtained in specific subjects.
▪️Here's how it works:
English is a mandatory subject that all students have to take in CBSE board exams. Therefore, English marks are always included in the best of five calculations, irrespective of whether the student scores high or low marks in this subject.
After English, the student's top four subjects (based on the highest marks obtained) are considered for the best of five calculations.
If a student has taken more than six subjects, the marks of the subject with the lowest score are excluded from the calculation.
For the calculation of the final percentage, the sum of the best five scores is divided by five.
For example, suppose a student has taken the following six subjects in their Class 12 CBSE board exams:
English - 80
Mathematics - 90
Physics - 85
Chemistry - 80
Biology - 70
History - 75
In this case, the best of five calculations would be as follows:
English - 80
Mathematics - 90
Physics - 85
Chemistry - 80
History - 75
Therefore, the student's percentage would be calculated as (80 + 90 + 85 + 80 + 75)/5 = 82%.
It's important to note that the best of five rule is applicable only to CBSE board exams and not to other state or national-level board exams. Additionally, the rule applies only to Class 10 and 12 board exams and not to internal assessments or other exams conducted by schools.
▪️Advantages:
1. Relieves pressure: The best of five rule helps to relieve some pressure on students by allowing them to focus more on subjects that they are stronger in, rather than worrying about scoring high marks in all subjects.
2. Provides flexibility: The rule provides flexibility to students in choosing their subjects and allows them to perform well in the subjects of their choice, without being penalized for weaker performance in other subjects.
3. Encourages academic performance: The best of five rule encourages students to strive for academic excellence by promoting healthy competition and rewarding those who perform well across their chosen subjects.
4. Helps in future career choices: By allowing students to choose subjects they are interested in, the best of five rule can help students make more informed decisions about their future career choices.
5. Fairness: The rule ensures fairness in evaluation by considering a student's performance across a range of subjects and taking into account their strengths and weaknesses.
▪️Disadvantages:
The best of five rule in CBSE board exams provides several benefits to students, allowing them to focus on their strengths and interests while promoting academic excellence and fairness in evaluation.
While the best of five rule in CBSE board exams has some advantages for students, it also has a few disadvantages that are worth considering:
1. Reduction in academic rigor: The best of five rule can lead to a reduction in the academic rigor among students as they might focus only on scoring high marks in a few subjects, rather than striving to perform well across all subjects.
2. Unequal treatment of students: The rule does not consider the effort and performance of students in all six subjects equally, leading to unequal treatment of students based on the subjects they have chosen and their proficiency in them.
3. Disadvantage for students who excel in all subjects: As mentioned earlier, the best of five rule can be a disadvantage for students who have excelled in all six subjects, as their performance in the sixth subject is not counted in the final percentage calculation.
4. Difficulty in subject selection: The rule can also lead to difficulty in subject selection for students, as they might feel pressured to choose only those subjects in which they can score high marks, rather than opting for subjects that interest them or are important for their future career choices.
5. Lower standards for admission: The best of five rule can also result in lower standards for admission to colleges and universities, as students who might not have performed well in all subjects but have scored high marks in the best five might be granted admission based on their percentage.
▪️Conclusion:
While the best of five rule in CBSE board exams can be beneficial for students who might have struggled in one subject, it also has some drawbacks that need to be considered. Schools and policymakers should strive to strike a balance between providing flexibility to students and maintaining academic rigor and fairness in the evaluation process.
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