Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has finally announced class 12th result evaluation criteria. As per it, the performance of the students will be determined based on two factors – (a) marks secured in class 12th internals / practical and (b) marks in theory. The theory marks will be calculated based on marks secured in class 12th pre-board / unit test / mid-term exam, class 11th, and class 10th. To compute the result, each school will set up a committee of 5 members, one of which will be the principal, two members will be the most senior teachers in class 12th, and the remaining two teachers will be from the neighbouring school.
The marks for internal will be used as provided by the schools but for determining the marks in the theory portion, 40% weightage will be given to marks class 12th exams, 30% weighage to class 11th final exam marks, and 30% weightage to the average of the best of three in class 10th.
In CBSE class 12th, the theory portion can be of 80, 70, 60, 50, or 30 marks, depending on the subject. Subjects like English and Hindi have theory of 80 marks but in subjects like Biology, Chemistry, etc. the theory is of 70 marks and 30 marks are for practicals. Hence, CBSE has prepared detailed assessment criteria taking each subject in consideration.
As per the decided percentage of 40-30-30, subjects where theory is of 80 marks – a total of 24 marks are for class 10th and 11th each and 32 marks are for class 12th. Hence, the practical / internals is of 20 marks. For subjects with the theory of 70 marks, 21 marks each are for class 10th and 11th, 28 marks are for class 12th, and total marks for practicals are 30.
In subjects with a theory portion of 60 marks, the total marks for class 10th and 11th are 18 each and 24 marks are for class 12th. Hence, this leaves 40 marks for practicals. 50 marks theory subjects have 50 marks for practicals, 20 marks for class 12th, and 15 marks for class 10th and 11th each. Subjects with the theory of only 30 marks have the highest weightage for practicals. Here, 70 marks are for the practical exams, 12 marks for class 12th, and only 9 marks each for class 10th and 11th

Since CBSE has announced the result evaluation criteria, countless doubts regarding the assessment have popped up among the students. Let us take it all one by one:
#1. One of the most common doubt is, why CBSE is using class 10th marks. For this, the Central board has clarified that CBSE class 10th exams, which were held in 2019, were the only public exams that the board was able to conduct properly, before the pandemic. Hence, the assessment of the students in this exam was the most accurate and as per their ability. So, the board is giving weightage to the exam.
#2. Another doubt is that if a student is from a particular stream then how will the marks in a particular subject will be determined in correspondence with the class 10th. The subjects in class 10th are divided into SST, Science, Maths, Language, etc. But in class 12th, subjects are divided as per the stream. The board has already considered this factor and had announced that it will take the best of 3 scores, irrespective of the current stream of the student.
#3. CBSE has said that class 12th pre-board or unit test or mid-term exam can be used for preparing CBSE class 12th result. This has been done because there was no uniformity among the schools, which were able to conduct all or few of the type of exams. Hence, the board has decided to allow all type of exams for marks assessment. However, few schools have conducted more than one type of exam. In this case, the board has said that the school result committee has full freedom to decided the weightage f
#4. Due to COVID, a lot of students were not able to appear for pre-board / unit test / mid-term exams. In this case, the school result committee has to evaluate the situation and find out the best possible assessment criteria. Each school committee may form its assessment criteria. However, the committee will have to decide upon a well though criteria that needs to mentioned in the record.
#5. If a student changed the subject from class 12th, with the approval of CBSE, then the assessment will be done based on the average of best of 3 subjects.
#6. Students who did class 10th boards from any board other than CBSE also need not worry. For such cases, CBSE has asked the current schools to upload the marks on the board’s link. While doing so, the school needs to make sure that the tabulation of the marks should be similar to that of CBSE.
The central board will announce the class 12th result by July 31, 2021. The formulation of the result committee by the schools is to be done by June 23, 2021. The last date of finalisation of the result and uploading of marks in the board’s link is July 15, 2021.
The evaluation criteria for CBSE class 12th has been prepared while keeping in mind various factors. While a lot of students and parents doubt the evaluation method, CBSE has itself make clear that result calculated via any approximate method shall not be at par with the board exams. However, looking at the need of the hour and safety of students, the board has prepared the most reliable, fair, and valid assessment policy.
However, if the students are still not satisfied with the performance in the exam then may opt for the exams which CBSE will conduct when the pandemic will mollify. The board has also made it clear that all the data will be properly recorded by each school and it be eventually handed over to CBSE.
CBSE was to hold class 12th board exams in the month of March-April 2021. However, the exams had to be cancelled due to COVID-19 second wave. Since a school leaving certificate is a must to take admission in higher education courses, the board propounded this new CBSE class 12th result assessment criteria to promote the students.