Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Best of Five policy by the MP Board for class 10 has failed to deliver the intended results. It was initially introduced to reduce student failures, but its implementation has not effectively addressed the root causes of academic challenges. This policy provided students with a safety net, allowing them to pass exams even if they struggled in one or two subjects.
The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education introduced the Best of Five formula in 2017 as a solution to address the challenge of high student failure rates in key subjects like English and mathematics. This year in class 10, more than 8.2 lakh students took the maths exam, in which 64.3 per cent passed; similarly, in English, more than 8 lakh students took the exam, and only 62.3% passed.
Although the formula temporarily boosted overall pass rates, it failed to address the underlying issues contributing to student struggles in English and mathematics. As a result, a significant number of students were passing exams without adequately mastering key subjects, leading to concerns about the quality of education and academic preparedness.
The secretary of the MP Board, Krishna Deo Tripathi, said that starting from the new session, the Best of Five policy will be removed. This decision was made due to a significant number of students failing in English and maths.
Educationists divided on discontinuing policy
When Free Press spoke to the educationists to know their stance on the discontinuation of the Best of Five scheme, opinions were divided. BN Trishal, an education advisor, expressed dissatisfaction over the decision, stating that retracting the Best of Five is not advisable.
He pointed out that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also adopted this method, which has proven beneficial for students and contributed to improved results. On the other hand, RN Yadav acknowledged the necessity of implementing the Best of Five at the time it was introduced. However, she emphasised the importance of studying all the main subjects, suggesting that a balanced approach is essential for comprehensive learning.
