NEW DELHI:  Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to relax mandatory separate pass mark criteria for class 10 students. The Board has decided to implement overall 33% pass mark criteria for this batch of students only. As a ‘one time measure’ for the candidates of this batch, the Board has decided to revise the pass marks as this batch is from a different assessment background while they were in class 9. As per the new relaxation in order to pass, a student has to secure total 33% (internal assessment and board exam marks, taken together).

“The examination committee of the board in its meeting held on February 16 after considering the circumstances and the facts that the current batch of class 10 (2018) is coming from a different assessment background while they were in class 9 (in 2017) resolved to approve the following for this batch as a one-time measure,” an official notification said.

In order to pass, a student has to secure a total of 33 per cent (internal assessment and theory marks combined). Earlier, the board had put in place a mandatory clause of securing 33 per cent in the board exams and another 33 per cent in internal assessment.

The candidates in current batch appearing in 2018 for class 10 exams and having additional subjects as 6th or 7th may also be exempted from mandatory pass criteria norms in the subjects provided the additional subjects comprises of internal assessment of 2o marks and board examinations of 80 marks.