Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Class 10 students on Monday said they are about to lose at least fifteen marks due to Punjab State board's “negligence”. Students said that PSEB provided a “wrong map of Punjab” in the history section, for a five marks question. Other than that, one question each for five marks in economics and civics sections is said to be “out of syllabus”.
Teachers said that in question number 11 in history section was to mark places in the map of ‘Pre-partition Punjab’, but the map that was provided to students was of ‘current Punjab’ and that was why students got confused and the result was most of them did not even attempted the question. Students were asked to mark places like Ferozeshah, Amritsar, Kiratpur, flow of river Sutlej, Amritsar, Mudki in the given map.
In the economics section, two of the three choices in a five-mark question were ‘out of syllabus’. Students had to select one of three to write a note but there was no choice left except the one which was from the syllabus.
Same can be said about the civics section, in which two of three choices in a five-mark question were ‘out of syllabus’. A social studies teacher said that this time students were not well-prepared for the history exam because of the textbooks controversy, and the question paper was very tricky. Teachers added that before the exam, Punjab board had prescribed specific five-marks questions on its official website for civics and economics but those which came were found to be out of syllabus.
Ashok Kumar, a social science teacher from Muktsar said, “Students gave exam by studying in just 2-3 months as the syllabus for history was not decided due to history books controversy. A wrong map given to them in the paper added more confusions. PSEB must compensate now for wrong map and five-mark questions which seems a real negligence by the board.
Another social studies teacher said, “Students kept asking us in the exam hall that how can they attempt question on the wrong map but teachers also were helpless. Most of them left it blank.”
Manohar Kant Kalohia, chairman, PSEB said that a committee will be meeting Tuesday to decide further on this matter. The committee would decide whether to give Grace marks to students or not. He also said that teachers who set the question paper will also be held accountable.
Teachers said that in question number 11 in history section was to mark places in the map of ‘Pre-partition Punjab’, but the map that was provided to students was of ‘current Punjab’ and that was why students got confused and the result was most of them did not even attempted the question. Students were asked to mark places like Ferozeshah, Amritsar, Kiratpur, flow of river Sutlej, Amritsar, Mudki in the given map.
In the economics section, two of the three choices in a five-mark question were ‘out of syllabus’. Students had to select one of three to write a note but there was no choice left except the one which was from the syllabus.
Same can be said about the civics section, in which two of three choices in a five-mark question were ‘out of syllabus’. A social studies teacher said that this time students were not well-prepared for the history exam because of the textbooks controversy, and the question paper was very tricky. Teachers added that before the exam, Punjab board had prescribed specific five-marks questions on its official website for civics and economics but those which came were found to be out of syllabus.
Ashok Kumar, a social science teacher from Muktsar said, “Students gave exam by studying in just 2-3 months as the syllabus for history was not decided due to history books controversy. A wrong map given to them in the paper added more confusions. PSEB must compensate now for wrong map and five-mark questions which seems a real negligence by the board.
Another social studies teacher said, “Students kept asking us in the exam hall that how can they attempt question on the wrong map but teachers also were helpless. Most of them left it blank.”
Manohar Kant Kalohia, chairman, PSEB said that a committee will be meeting Tuesday to decide further on this matter. The committee would decide whether to give Grace marks to students or not. He also said that teachers who set the question paper will also be held accountable.
