CBSE has now made it mandatory for students of Classes 9 and 10 to attend both summative assessments and secure an aggregate of 25% in the tests to pass the grade. This will be a great problem for students indulging in sports activities and who fall sick. The Board which has gone in for various exam reforms, brought in the rule after a review of assessment practices revealed inflated marks in students` formative assessments despite not attending the summative assessments in some cases, resulting in an unusually high pass rate in Class 10.
The new circular says that only those who participate in sports at the national or international level will be exempted from appearing for any one of the SA exams, provided that the student takes permission from the board in advance. If an unforeseen circumstance, like illness, prevents students from taking the test, the onus is on the school to conduct a retest for the student.