Reshma Ravishanker

After private schools expressed dismay over the inclusion of questions outside the textbooks, the government has said that students will be given options during exams.

This year, private schools followed textbooks distributed by the Karnataka Textbook Society while government schools followed a Kalika Chetarike syllabus (to make up for the pandemic induced learning loss).

The recently released model papers in the wake of introduction of annual assessments for class 5 and 8 had questions from the Kalika Chetarike programme which was out of syllabus for private schools. This left private schools confused.

After private schools approached the department of public instruction with common queries, a FAQ has been released to address some issues.

They said that the syllabus for exams will include SA-2 of the textbooks which is taught from November 2022 to the first week of March 2023.  

Responding to a query on uniform paper for government and private schools alike, they have said, “since the same question paper will be given to schools, students will have alternative questions in the subjective sections in core subjects (maths, science and social) which students can choose from.” This indicates that alternative questions will be provided to students wherever Kalika Chetarike questions are asked.

On the inclusion of questions from the first half of the academic year, the department has said that application-based questions could be included.

“Since question papers had to be formulated based on worksheets and textbooks, syllabus completed between November 2022 and march 2023 first week have been included and the same has been matched with the worksheets of Kalika Chetarike.

Those schools which have followed the Kalika Chetarike syllabus have used SA2 workbooks in SA-1 itself. Since there has to be the same question paper for those following textbooks and the following Kalika Chetarike, all chapters in SA2 will be considered and the subject matter associated with these, which are in SA1 and SA2 Kalika Chetarike books will be considered. Apart from this, all that is there in the practice section including grammar and language abilities questions will be included,” they added.

The FAQs also clarify that the questions asked in the final assessment will be in the name format as in the model question papers the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board has released now. 

Also read: Karnataka: Board to set papers for SSLC preparatory exams