Maharashtra: IB cancels boards, schools to follow non-exam route

MUMBAI: After the CBSE cancelled class X exams and postponed class XII tests, the International Baccalaureate has also announced a non-exam route for schools in India.
To strengthen predicted grade accuracy globally for schools on both routes (exam and non-exam), the IB has provided schools with customised predicted grade distributions for each subject.
The Maharashtra education department had written to the IB board to reconsider the dates for their examinations. IB had simultaneously also consulted schools to seek feedback about the on-ground situation. The IBDP (Class XI and XII) students can take the non-exam route and middle years’ programme (up to class X) will be awarded on basis of alternative tasks given by the board.
“The IB has informed schools of our decision not to hold examinations in India due to the rising cases of Covid-19 and following ongoing conversations with our schools, associations and education boards. We intend that the results of students in India should be awarded using coursework marks and predicted grades for the May 2021 session, as described in the awarding model outlined in February,” said the board in an official statement. The details of the process have been shared with the affiliated schools.
School principals have welcomed the move, but are wary of the solution. The May series last year too could not be conducted due to the pandemic and students were awarded in a similar pattern. “Conducting examinations is the most reliable way to assess students’ achievements, but the decision was taken considering the safety of students and teachers. It may not benefit all the students. We will know the impact after the results. Last year too, most parents were upset with the results,” said the principal of an IB school in the city.
Last year, the IB had said that the predicted grades were higher compared to past years, but several students complained otherwise. This year, the IB has given more guidelines within which teachers have to submit their predictions. “While teachers feel these predicted grade distributions are not aligned with student performance, the IB is developing a process that will allow schools to request a different grade distribution and provide evidence that supports their claim,” the board had said in a previous announcement.