Mumbai: Even as the Bombay High Court cancelled the percentile system, students from the state board said that there is a need to introduce measures, which will give a level-playing field to SSC students. Standardisation and equalisation between boards was required, they said.

Over the years, SSC students have often lost out to ICSE and CBSE students who score higher because of their marking systems.

"I got through in the second list because of the percentile system. One cant deny that the system is a drawback for ICSE or CBSE students and no system should be unfair to any particular board. Now that it has been scrapped, the education department can look at revamping the SSC marking pattern," said Sanika Gupta, who scored 90.92 per cent and is studying at Ruia College.

Seconding her, Nupur Thakur, who scored 83.84 per cent in SSC and is studying at SIES College of Commerce, said a change in the evaluation system is required.

"Assessment in SSC is very strict, especially in Hindi, Marathi and English, where a lot of marks are deducted. This reduces our overall percentage," said Thakur.

Students of the state board also felt that introduction of objective-type questions will help. "In SSC, questions are very subjective, difficult to score, and students just end up mugging," said Veena Bolaikar, a student of Ruparel College.

Meanwhile, educationists said that government and the education department should now form a committee to evaluate issues - such as variation in marking patterns, need for uniformity across boards and whether any kind of revamp is required in the state board curriculum or evaluation itself.

"All boards need to reach some level of understanding to avoid variations in results," said Ruia College principal Suhas Pednekar.

Secretary of School Education Department, Sanjay Kumar, said: "Well formulate what is to be done after we get the order."

Naresh Chandra, president of the University of Mumbai-College Principals Association and Birla College principal, said that the association had formed a committee in July. "Well give our suggestions keeping in line with the court order. The report may be ready in a months time," he said.

Source : DNA