Parents get venue-choice forms for CISCE students – Times of India

KOLKATA: Most of the CISCE schools in the city have sent “Vikalp Forms” to the parents of children who will appear in the first semester of ICSE and ISC exams in November/December. Parents have to mention whether they want their children to write the exam from school or at home. CISCE on Tuesday sent a circular to schools asking parents to give two options for examination venues, though the council mentioned that they would prefer it in the school. Once the parent’s feedback is received, the schools will send each candidate’s choice to the council.

Although Wednesday was a Mahalaya holiday, many schools convened meetings of academic councils or subject heads, prepared notifications, prepared option forms and sent them to parents of board-year students. The parents were asked to submit the forms within a couple of days as they would have to be sent to the council by next week. Parents of schools such as La Martiniere for boys, South City International School, St. Augustine’s Day School and Ram Mohan Mission have received the forms. Some schools, such as The Heritage, will have an academic council meeting on Friday.

“We prepared our forms only on Wednesday and sent them to the parents, asking them to fill out and submit by Thursday,” said John Stephen, La Martiniere’s acting principal for the boys. South City International School principal John Bagul also confirmed that option forms were sent to parents, who were given time till Saturday to submit their feedback. St. Augustine’s Day School, Kolkata Principal Richard Gaspar said that the three branches have decided that after receiving the feedback of the parents, they will inspect the homes of the candidates to see the exam conducive environment. “We will also check their net connectivity and the health of the devices used by the children,” Gaspar said. “Last time, most of the parents demanded a school environment. If this happens this time also, then we will put a lease line.

The CISCE circular states that they prefer the candidates to take the examination in the school with the consent of the parents. “As the state is yet to direct the reopening of schools on campus, even if for the exams, parents will mostly opt for home tests. If the council gives preference to school exams, then at least in Bengal it cannot happen unless the government gives permission. So, we are treating the November first semester exams largely as home tests,” said a principal.

Another principal pointed out that the children were used to writing pen-and-paper tests, but it would be an app-based, online test that required students to be trained. “They know it will be an MCQ test but it will be a challenge to access and write the test completely from their own equipment. However, the mock test conducted by the council before the final will help,” said another principal.