Primary and Ebtedayee terminal examinations for class-V students of schools and madrasas began across the country this morning.
According to the Directorate of Primary and Mass Education, a total of 32, 30,288 students are sitting for this year’s examinations.
Of them, an estimated of 29, 30,573 students are sitting for the PSC examinations and the remaining 2, 99,715 students for the Ebtedayee exams.
The exams are taking place at 7,194 centres in the country under 11 centres abroad.
As per the ministry’s directives, the 64 districts have been divided as eight special segments to curb the question paper leakage. The PSC and Ebtedayee exams will be held with separate eight set questions.
The primary terminal examination was introduced in 2009. The test for the students of Ebtedayee Madrasas began the following year. The result was published in division system in the first two years, but later it was in grading system.
The students must pass the exams for enrolment in class VI. On the basis of the results, scholarships will be distributed under talent pool and general categories.
The govt is mulling the abolishment of the PEC test stipulating that there will be only one public examination at the end of class-VIII.
Educationists had welcomed the announcement as they viewed that the test put “extra pressure” on kids, with most of the guardians getting into an unhealthy competition for ensuring their children get highest grades. The test also created a boom in coaching centres.
