Can’t bank on these questions, say students on SCERT released question bank

Std X students walk out after writing an SSC paper at Samta Vidya Mandir in Kandivli. File/Satej Shinde

The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) released the much awaited question bank for the Maharashtra state board examinations on its website on Monday. But SCERT has been subjected to major criticism over it, as many are complaining that it has added to their confusion. According to students, from both SSC and HSC, the bank includes questions on topics which are omitted from the syllabus, while some have also complained that it seems to be a collection of all questions in the textbooks.

HSC students before the exam outside Wilson college at Girgaon Chowpatty last year. Pic/Bipin Kokate

There was a huge demand for the question bank from students appearing for the state board examinations (SSC/HSC) as also their parents and teachers, considering the unprecedented conditions of the current academic year. Hence for the first time, SCERT released it. But after that several students took to social media complaining about additional confusion.

"We demanded a question bank because with no proper schooling this year, we are confused. In school or classes we get some important questions from teachers. This year too, our teachers have helped in the online mode, but as 25% syllabus is omitted, we are confused as to what is now more important in it, for there are questions even from the omitted topics in the question bank," said a student. Earlier this year, the Maharashtra state board had declared reduction of the board syllabus by 25 per cent considering the unprecedented conditions in this academic year. "The question bank is just a collection of all questions from textbooks. We already have textbooks. Moreover, the question banks of some subjects are still not uploaded," said another student.

Official speak
Scert Deputy Director Vikas Garad, said, "There is an issue with only a couple of questions in just one subject. There are very few students who are complaining, while most are really relieved. There were over 60 lakh hits on the website when the question bank was uploaded."