Hyderabad: After much debate, the State government on Monday has directed that the existing pattern of examination for Class X would continue for the current academic year.

Earlier, there was uncertainty and debate concerning the evaluation pattern for Class X students, with about 5 lakh students eagerly awaiting clarity. The issue stems from a government order (GO) issued in November last year, which eliminated internal marks for Class X exams from the 2025-26 academic years onward. This decision has since come under scrutiny, prompting a rethinking by the School Education Department after questions were raised at a recent National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) workshop in Delhi.

The core of the problem lies in the current continuous evaluation system instituted under the Right to Education Act since 2011.

Under this system, 20 marks out of 100 are allocated for internal assessments in six subjects, which include projects, unit tests, and written work, while the remaining 80 marks are for written examinations. Critics have pointed out disparities in how internal marks are awarded—private schools reportedly give full marks liberally, while government school students often receive lower marks, leading to concerns about fairness. In response to these concerns, the Education Department earlier issued a GO mandating the elimination of internal marks.

However, this move triggered questions during a recent meeting in Delhi, where education officials were asked why internal marks are not used globally, including by other Indian boards such as CBSE and ICSE, and why the department chose to remove them. The dilemma deepened as the National New Education Policy advocates for student evaluation that considers more than just exam scores, promoting a 360-degree assessment approach.

Adding to the internal discourse, a workshop organized at the Directorate of School Education brought together regional education officers, headmasters, subject experts, and other officials to discuss internal marks and question paper patterns. Participants expressed diverse opinions, reflecting the complexity of the issue. Consequently, proposals on these matters have been forwarded.

Against this backdrop, the State government has issued an order to continue to the existing pattern of examination for Class X.