Think and decide!

It is time for all those students who appeared for their class X exams to put on their thinking caps and decide about their subject choices for class XI. It is a very crucial time for students. Selecting the right subject at the right time is always beneficial as it is rightly quoted “a stitch in time saves nine”. Before selecting your subjects think about your interests and explore possible fields that you may want to get into.

Students have several options if one were to talk about their subjects vis-a-vis their future careers. Some years back those students who opted for Science were considered to be aiming only for the medical field and those who took Commerce were limited to pursuing B.com and other Commerce courses. The education scenario has changed considerably. There are now ample higher education options available at hand.

If you want to get into a professional field other than medical and engineering, then do consider the Humanities and Commerce streams. While subjects like accountancy, business studies can help you get into some really exciting amazing fields in the areas of Management, Finance, Chartered Accountancy (CA) etc, subjects such as Geography, Political Science, Economics in the Arts stream pave the way for some equally exciting career options Career options such as Business administration, Hotel management , and many more are open for students from all streams, but it helps if you have studied Maths at the +2 level

Students considering the Science stream have plenty of options when it comes to the selection of subjects. The science stream is not limited to Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Biotechnology as a subject is also available in some schools at the +2 level. Moreover subjects such as Technical drawing, Mathematics and Computer are some of the other options available. While Physics and Chemistry are typically compulsory subjects in the Science Stream, you have the freedom to choose any one or any two subjects out of Mathematics, Biology, Biotechnology and Computer. Some schools also offer fine arts and physical education as options to students. Career options for the science students offer variety. Occupational Therapy; Biotechnology; Agriculture; Dairy Farming; Traditional Medicine; Genetics; Microbiology; Medicine, Horticulture and Floriculture; Aquaculture; food Processing; Marine Biology; Dentistry; Veterinary Science; Pharmacy; Physiotherapy; Home Science; Poultry Farming; Environment Science; Forestry; Zoology; Detective (forensic Science); Wildlife Science; Research; Tea Industry; Botany; Cosmetology. These are just a few options from among the several that are available.

A small piece of advice that I think can help the students in a big way - be very sure while choosing your subjects because once decided you will have to stick with them your whole life. If you are facing any confusion while selecting your subjects then you can always use the help of certain websites like www.meritnation.com that provides online facility of stream selector.

Study about a few things and look for your interest. A good choice can help you in achieving desired career. So think timely and choose wisely.

CBSE notes – A key to secure better marks

There is no one way to study. Some students go through the whole syllabus while preparing for exams while some students choose to just go through the key points. For some scoring good marks in exams is still a dream. The experts recommend preparing notes for each subject as it is an easy way to score high marks in all subjects. There are several good reasons as to ‘why one should prepare notes?’ And the list, believe me goes longer than thought.

For preparing CBSE notes one has to go through the entire chapter to find out the important concepts in the chapter. An exercise like this also helps in finding out the key points in the chapter. One can go through such notes just before the exam as they consist of key points. It makes revision easy and quick. Reading through one’s own notes helps in understanding and it is commonly believed that writing helps to remember better. Listed below are some important points that one should keep in mind before preparing notes.

• Be precise - While preparing notes one should know which points to include as the key points and which to summarize.
• Use visual cues - For some students it is easy to learn concepts with the help of figures, diagram, and flow charts etc. So while preparing CBSE notes one should always follow the style of learning that suits them and makes topics easy to learn. One can also use simple language while making CBSE notes as it makes learning easy.
• Cover all topics - Notes should be prepared in such a manner that it covers each and every topic, starting from the most important ones to the ones that are least important.

Extracting the important studying material should be done after going through the whole chapter. If the CBSE notes are prepared carefully then nothing can come in your way of attempting all the questions and getting good marks. If the CBSE notes are prepared in the correct manner, then a student need not to go through the whole chapter again at the time of revision.

Last minute revision should be avoided as it does not help improve recall but creates confusion. So it is advisable that students do not wait till the last minute to start revising using CBSE notes. All revision should be completed at least an hour before the examination.

Students who wait for the last few days for preparation, usually end up getting confused. It often results in poor recall at the time of attempting the question paper.

The message is clear for all the students. Start preparing your CBSE notes before it is too late. To walk on the path of success, one should follow the above mentioned points. Scoring good marks will no more remain a dream.

Score high with CBSE model papers

Scoring high marks in exams remains a dream for many. Scoring good marks in exams is not easy. One has to put in a lot of effort to crack each and every question. Practicing using CBSE model paper can be very effective as it helps in evaluating a student’s performance. These papers help know the actual preparation of the students. Also these model papers are prepared keeping in mind the pattern of question paper. Marks to each question are allotted keeping in mind the pattern.

After attempting the model paper, a student can easily identify areas that require more preparation. The CBSE model papers are very useful if they are solved or attempted after completing the complete syllabus.

Students usually end-up thinking that in spite of so much hard work why were they not able to perform better? Solving CBSE model papers is beneficial for those who are about to appear for their final exams. CBSE model papers are designed keeping in mind the present CBSE curriculum. This helps students get a clear idea about the marking scheme and questions. With rising competition in studies, every student wants to give their best and score high marks. Studying with CBSE model paper can be very helpful if taken seriously. There are ample types of CBSE model papers available online that a student can access anytime. CBSE model papers are a good tool to manage time during exams. Time management is very important. CBSE model papers give the student an outline of time available to complete the paper. Usually at the time of exams, students face mental pressure. This often results in poor concentration and lack of confidence. Practicing with the help of CBSE Model Papers can help students manage their time effectively in the examination hall thereby helping them reduce the level of test-taking stress.

Generally students do not keep a check on the time allotted to complete the exam and the word limit. It is necessary to write the answers in accordance to the marks. This helps in saving time from writing unnecessary answer.

Students who are planning to attempt the CBSE model papers must note that the CBSE model papers should be attempted only after completing the whole syllabus. Attempting the model paper before finishing the syllabus won’t be helpful. For positive results, attempt the papers once you are through with the whole syllabus.

Online NCERT textbooks

Online NCERT textbooks! Even imagining something like this about 10 years back would have been difficult. This must surely be the best thing that has happened for students, parents and teachers in a while! The NCERT textbooks online are available for classes I through XII for almost all the subjects. These textbooks available in both Hindi and English languages are in downloadable PDF format.

These online NCERT textbooks come in very handy for students of classes X and XII who wish to start reading the books, during the summer vacations and are sometimes unable to do so due to non-availability of these NCERT books in the stores before the month of July. Further, with online NCERT textbooks the teachers too can refer to textbooks of higher or lower grades for any clarifications, with ease without having to physically scout around for the textbooks. Then, there are those students who are more inquisitive than their peers and are on the constant search for more information on a given topic. It is for such students that the online NCERT textbooks can be a real boon. Now they can readily access NCERT textbooks of a higher grade and read up more on a topic that they may be currently studying. One of the objectives that the NCERT had in mind in making NCERT textbooks available online is to make the teaching-learning process organize itself around meaningfully structured units or sections (of topics) rather than treating the topics in a sequential approach. Doing so, it is hoped, would encourage students to try and comprehend a given topic/subject in its totality and see the inter-linkages within subjects and the interconnectedness of their entire syllabus as a whole.

Online NCERT textbooks have also proved to be very valuable for parents who take a keen interest in their child’s lessons and progress in school as they can now easily access their child’s prescribed NCERT textbooks online from anywhere and read the chapters therein. Parents can thus be better equipped to help them with homework or simply supervise their studies.

The online NCERT textbooks are available on the NCERT website and can be viewed by anyone. Once on the website, you simply have to select the class, the subject and the title of the book and Viola! - the cover of your online NCERT textbook gets displayed on your screen! You have to click on the cover and you get to view the contents page of your online NCERT textbook. From there on, you can view any chapter by simply clicking on it. However, all you students be warned! As you read through the pages of your online NCERT textbook in all its colours on the computer, you may fail notice the time, as reading anything online can be a differently engaging experience after all.

Online education

Online education is often considered as the ‘Gen Y’ way of studying. For Generation Y, online is fast becoming the popular way to study. With broadband connection penetrating to the farthest destinations, the internet is truly going places! Online education attempts to counter the problem of poor quality of education and absentee teachers in schools, right at the outset. However, in spite of numerous benefits of online education, many are still unaware about the scope and benefits of this virtual world of online education.

For all you students out there here is a list of a few benefits of online education. I am sure that these benefits will draw you towards this medium and will also help you make your studying effective.

• The fist and foremost benefit of online education is the ‘anytime-anywhere’ advantage that sit has to offer. With online education, students can now choose to prepare their own study schedules and study as per their own convenience. Gone are the days when students had no option but to regularly attend their classes at tuition centres or schools so as to complete their syllabus within the stipulated time period. With online education, students can now choose to set their schedule sheets.
• Apart from study schedules, online education also enables students to stay in control of their study pace. Online education is a boon for both slow and fast learners. Slow learners can go through their study lessons as many times as they wish to, whereas fast learners can look forward to umpteen practice tests and revisions to further solidify their learning.
• Online education has an added advantage for students studying under the international boards. Finding a good tutor or quality study material is not always an easy task for the Indians studying under the various Indian educational boards outside India. With quality online education coming into play, students can be sure of complete and stress-free study content that will help make scoring great marks in exams easy.
• Online education imparts instructions using a variety of mediums thereby making studies interesting and engaging. Students now can study by reading online study material in text form and support it with video explanations of various concepts using real life/ 2D/ 3D videos and animations. Curriculum aligned puzzles and a variety of online and offline tests that give you instant results are some of the other benefits of online education.  Thus, use of multiple media helps make studies very interesting and learning easy.
• Students can get themselves hooked to online education without burning a hole in their pockets. Apart from low subscription costs, there is significantly no additional or hidden cost involved in online education. By studying online, students can save a lot of money and time by doing away with unnecessary expenses incurred while commuting to and from schools, colleges, tuition centers etc.

I am confident that by now students must realized the benefits of online education. So all you students out there, the next time you face any difficulty while studying, just log on to the internet and surf you way through online solutions.

How to conquer Maths Anxiety?

Math anxiety is a concern for many students. Some students experience occasional problems in understanding the facts of mathematics while others have deep performance related issues in this subject. Many students all over the world tend to freeze during Maths tests, even if they known the procedure to solve the problems, understand all the formulae, equations and arrive at correct answers. So far it has been observed that fear of maths is the biggest obstacle in the path of learning Maths. 

Learning Maths is just like learning any other subject where true mastery can be achieved through practice. Students can outweigh the fear for the subject if they are honest and brave to make mistakes and learn from their mistakes.

Origin of Maths Anxiety
Maths anxiety generally occurs from a limited understanding of the subject. It also arises as a result of poor teaching that leads to unpleasant experiences. Most of the students who don’t understand the concepts, procedures and rules of the problem but try to memorize it, face the problem of anxiety.

Fear factor for Maths would no longer exist if the students follow few simple tips mentioned below:

Ask for early help:
If students face difficulty in a particular chapter, they can ask for tutorial help. Extra help can provide right boost to overcome Maths anxiety and add to their confidence to perform well in tests.


Cramming should be avoided:
Cramming for exams can often enhance Maths anxiety. So, students are advised to avoid cramming. They are suggested to break their study sessions into small portions. It is also advised to deal with problem areas as quickly as possible. All these would help minimize Math anxiety upto a large extent.


Emphasis on regular practice:
The best way to overcome Maths anxiety is to show a student that he/she can solve it correctly and can derive right answers. For the same, students should regularly practice problems related to their weaker sections. Rigorous practice and meticulous efforts would help the students get rid of their fear of Maths and side-by-side would also promote their conceptual understanding.  More and more practice ahead of an exam would help students identify their problem areas, rectify it and consequently boost self-esteem.

Learn Maths in an innovative way
Students who are tired of practicing problems from boring and mundane books can surely add a punch to their study schedule by practicing Maths from online puzzles, quizzes, graphics and animations. Students can go through various animated videos where problems are explained in a simple language for a complete understanding of concepts. These online study material and videos are available 24*7. Students have complete freedom to access this content at their own convenience.

Ask questions if confused:
Students should start learning Maths with a positive attitude and determination. They shouldn’t settle for anything less during the instruction sessions by tutors or teachers. In case of any confusion, they should ask for clear illustrations, demonstrations and simulations.

Teachers and parents of the students can play an important role to make certain that students understand problems in Maths presented to them without any confusion or ambiguity. They can also encourage them to work hard and get more practice. Once the students realize that they can learn Maths like any of the other subjects, the whole notion that Maths is a ‘tough’ subject and the resultant Maths anxiety can become a thing of the past.

Tips and Tricks to Excel in ICSE Papers

Scoring well in ICSE papers is no easy thing considering the vastness of the ICSE syllabus! Scoring good marks in ICSE papers really takes a lot of effort. A disciplined study-regimen that includes regular revision sessions and is backed by good health is a pre-requisite to scoring well in ICSE papers.

To help all you students out there who are preparing for ICSE papers or for that matter any other board papers, here are a few tips and tricks that can help you excel in your exams.

• Study regularly! An important secret to scoring well in ICSE papers is to have a consistent approach towards studies. Regular study sessions will help students stay abreast with the overall pace required to complete the syllabus within the given time-frame. When compared to the various other educational boards operating in India, ICSE has the most expansive syllabus for class 10 examinations. As a result many a times students preparing for ICSE papers find handling the sheer volume in so many subjects, a little difficult. As a precautionary step to avoid last moment chaos and to facilitate effective understanding of concepts, students are advised to study regularly for their ICSE papers. Students can also seek help from various websites that provide ICSE curriculum aligned study material. The study material by these websites provide study content in interesting and fun format in order to accelerate the pace of learning.
• Stay in touch! Ideally, students should study all the major subjects regularly in order to excel in their ICSE papers. But keeping in mind the time that is typically spent by most students in extra curricular activities, tuition sessions, relaxation activities etc. leaving them with very little time for self-study, it may be a little unrealistic to be able to touch all the subjects in a day. However, in order to score well in the ICSE papers students are advised not to lose touch with any of the subjects for more than 2-3 days. If students do not study any subject for a longer period, chances are that recall for that particular subject will be far lesser, and as a result they will lag behind. To help students schedule their studies better, a few websites provide online Study Planner. The Study Planner by these websites is an online organizer that helps students stay abreast with their progress and their level of preparation for each chapter.
• Self-study is a must! Self- study does not mean completing homework, but investing time in studying alone with the primary objective of improving grades in school. To perform well in ICSE papers, students should devote majority of the available time to self-studying. This will help in better and instant understanding of the subjects and lead to a speedy memorization of concepts.
• Study with breaks! In order to break the monotony that is usually a result of long study sessions, it is very essential for students preparing for ICSE papers to inject short breaks in-between their study routines. These short study breaks will help the mind to stay fresh and focused for a longer period. As a result studying for ICSE papers will become easier and also more fun.
• Revise using past year ICSE papers! One of the very important tricks to score well in ICSE papers is to test your knowledge using previous year papers and sample papers. An activity like this helps students assess their preparation levels for the final ICSE papers. As students practice using previous years’ ICSE papers, they can also identify their weak areas and evaluate their time management skills and accordingly work upon it. Students can browse through a lot of websites that provide ICSE curriculum aligned practice and model tests to prepare better for their ICSE papers.
• Eat healthy! The last and the most important tip to score well in ICSE papers is to eat healthy and stay fit. Students should try to increase their intake of fresh fruits and vegetables as it keeps both the body and brain healthy. With ICSE papers approaching, students should restrain themselves from eating food that can hamper their health in any way.

I hope all these tips and tricks will benefit students in many ways and will help make scoring good marks in ICSE papers easy. All the best for your exams!

10th CBSE

CBSE 10th class students of the current academic year are among the early beneficiaries of the Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system introduced by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Unlike the students in the previous batches, the students studying in CBSE 10th class have the option of not appearing for the board exams. They can do so by opting for CCE – an assessment system that is based on round-the-year, inclusive evaluation. Under CCE, students are required to take two summative and four formative assessments that may include paper-pencil tests along with other formative assessments tools such as classroom quizzes, projects  etc. However, the students who wish to appear for board exams have to send in their requisition to their respective schools stating that they want to appear for Summative Assessment-II conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education.

Grading Pattern & Assessment System under CCE

As mentioned above, students who have opted for CCE have to appear for summative & formative assessments on the basis of which students will be graded for their performance. The entire academic year of CBSE 10th class is divided into two semesters. For the current academic year, a weightage of 40% is being attached to the first semester where as the second semester carries a 60% weightage. However, from next academic year both semesters will carry equal weightage i.e. 50% each. The grading system adopted by CBSE is based on a 9 point scale. Students who score between 91-100 marks will be awarded grade A1, where as students who score between 81-90, 71-80, 61-70, 51-60, 41-50, 33-40, 21-32 & 20 and below will be awarded grades A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D, E1 & E2 respectively. With each grade certain grade points are also awarded, for example students who score an A1 grade will be awarded 10 grade points, a student with A2 grade will get 9 grade points so on and so forth. No grade points shall be awarded for grades E1 & E2. Grade points in each subject will be accumulated and a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) will be arrived at.

Exam time-table under CCE

Through the introduction of CCE attempts have been made to engage the students throughout the year in activities that will help strengthen their learning , facilitate better understanding of concepts and will make the entire experience enriching. CBSE 10th class students will appear for Summative Assessment-I in the month of September and Summative Assessment-II in months of February-March.

With Summative Assessment-II a few months away, it is time that CBSE 10th & 9th class students brace up for these final exams. Students who are facing any difficulty in coping with subjects like Maths, Science, English etc and are looking for CCE aligned tests to help them prepare better can seek help from online educational websites. These websites provide CBSE & CCE aligned study content with videos, tests, revision notes etc for CBSE 10th & 9th that can help students understand concepts better and excel in exams.

So just surf through these websites and be sure of a stress-free study ride!

All the best for your exams!

School exams

One thing that students detest the most during their school lives is school exams. Under the current Indian education system, school exams are usually considered as the most reliable means of assessing a student’s progress. Undoubtedly, paper & pencil exams are important ways of assessing students’ understanding of concepts, but relying solely on paper-pencil based assessments as the only way to test how much a child knows may not be right. There are various ways other than school exams that can prove immensely helpful in assessing students’ progress in schools. Teachers can also assess students through various classroom activities like discussions, debates, practical assignments etc.  However, these techniques of assessing could possibly be time consuming and also require the teacher to be very insightful about child psychology. These techniques require teachers to practice strict caution against biases coming into play and demand from the teacher to be a lot more patient, so as to allow students to become comfortable with the set-up.  

Changes introduced by CBSE in its assessment system

Unlike the other educational boards in India that still continue to rely solely on paper & pencil school exams to evaluate ‘how much the student has understood’, CBSE has made an attempt to move away from this system. Under the new scheme (CCE) adopted by CBSE, along with the paper & pencil tests (summative assessments) students are also evaluated through various classroom activities (i.e. formative assessments) like quizzes, presentations, etc.  CCE also lays a lot of emphasis on the assessment of students in co-scholastics areas that contribute to the holistic development of student. In light of all the attempts made by the CCE to bring freshness into the education system, care has been taken not to undermine the importance of the traditional testing system (based on paper & pencil tests).  

How to prepare for school exams?

In order to excel in school exams (formative assessments and paper-pencil tests) it is very important for students to be attentive in class. Being attentive and focused in the class helps students to effectively understand the concept; as a result it helps them perform well in the classroom discussions. Likewise for the summative assessments it is very important for students to extensively go through the study material and understand all the concepts thoroughly. After understanding the concepts, the next important step is to test their understanding by taking chapter-wise tests. There are a few websites that provide such tests for students studying under CBSE, ICSE, Karnataka, Maharashtra & Tamil Nadu boards. The chapter-wise tests available on such sites are in multiple-choice & question-answer formats that ensure thorough testing. Apart from these chapter-wise tests, students should also try their hand at sample papers/ model tests available at such websites. These mock exams can also help students test their exam taking skills.

Wishing you all the best for your school exams!

Happy studying!

Revision techniques for ICSE Papers

Revising using the right techniques can help students fetch their dream score in the final ICSE papers. In spite of working very hard, students are not able to achieve their dream score. One of the major reasons behind the same is poor revision technique adopted by students. While preparing for ICSE papers, it is very important for students to allocate ample time for revision sessions. Students often undermine the importance of quality revision sessions and consider it a futile exercise. However, it is imperative for students to undertake a few quality revision sessions following the right revision technique to reinforce learning and concretize conceptual understanding for ICSE papers.     

To help all you students out there with the right techniques on how to go about revising for ICSE papers, here are a few points elaborating on the same.

• While starting to revise for ICSE papers the first and foremost step is to set revision goals. Setting realistic and achievable goals will help students arrive at the right course to proceed in. An activity like this will also help students make the most of their revision sessions. While setting revision goals students should make sure that the goals are not so high that it becomes difficult to achieve them.  The goals should also not be so easy that achieving them constitutes no real challenge for them. Goals should be such that they help students push themselves that extra bit while revising for ICSE papers. While setting goals, students are required to set both long-term as well as short-term targets.
• While revising for ICSE papers, students should be sure of the environment they are studying in. It is very important for students to have their own comfortable study corner while revising for ICSE papers. The study corner should be well-lit and free of any disturbance.  This will help students concentrate better during their revision sessions.
• The third and the most essential point while revising for ICSE papers is to incorporate small breaks in your revision sessions. Revising at a stretch often makes the studying exercise monotonous and results in reduced concentration levels. Studying with low concentration can result in reduced retention and poor recall. Therefore, students revising for ICSE papers or for that matter any exam are advised to incorporate small and timely breaks in their revision sessions that help them to get suitably re-charged.

Apart from the right revision technique, it is also important for students to use the right revision tools while preparing for ICSE papers. Student should carefully choose their revision tools keeping in mind their preferred learning styles.  There are a lot of websites that provide revision material in various formats. Students who prefer the visual mode of learning/ revising can refer to videos and crisp revision notes available on these websites, whereas tactile learners can practice their way through a variety of tests and curriculum-aligned puzzles. However, it is imperative for students to refer only those websites that provide quality learning content.

With tips on revision technique and revision tools in place, students can start revising and be confident of a great performance and an excellent score in the final ICSE papers.

All the best!

Help Yourself Learn Chemistry through the Internet

Chemistry is considered a difficult and challenging subject to learn and often causes frustration in students.  In schools, teachers sometimes teach Chemistry in such a way that leaves students feeling lost and confused about the subject. This is the reason that thousands of students are seeking additional help for learning Chemistry.

A couple of years ago, the only way to collect knowledge on any subject was to visit libraries with stocks of thick and heavy books with text printed in uninspiring black. But with the introduction of internet, that scenario has become history. Now, just a click of the mouse can help students find any information   on topics ranging from Electro- chemistry, Chemical Reactions, Thermodynamics to Equilibrium. 

Students can find a number of websites that provide a thorough knowledge on various chapters of Chemistry. They can also find online tutorials and online encyclopedias for static information on the subject. Now-a-days interactive help is also available for students on the internet where students can submit their queries and get their answers. 

Online Help Forums for Chemistry

Online forums are one of the most interesting and innovative ways to get help for Chemistry. Students can enter most Chemistry forums as a guest and can read the questions and answers posted there. However, if the students want to put a question or answer a query, they would have to register themselves as a member. Registrations for such online forums are usually free and involve a simple process that requires very little time. These forums are handled by expert tutors and instructors who have years of experience and a thorough knowledge in their respective fields.

Questions put in online forums are open and can be answered by all registered members. Multiple answers to a single question can help to open up the mind of students to endless possibilities and can help enhance their learning experience. 

Online Chemistry study material for CBSE students 

Students of CBSE boards can find NCERT solutions, CBSE sample papers, CBSE practice papers and much more in numerous websites. After a thorough study of Chemistry NCERT books, students can frame the answers to end-of-chapter questions themselves or find them online at a nominal or no cost. They can also look for definitions, concepts, reactions, structures and nomenclature in these websites which are sometimes supported by audio, video, graphics, animations and PowerPoint presentations for a better conceptual understanding.  

Students can participate in interactive quizzes, tests etc to assess their level of understanding and judge their preparation levels. They can attempt online sample papers, practice tests and revision exercises for a thorough revision. Revision using online sample papers would not only help students in tracing their weaker links but would also assist them in making their hold over such concepts stronger. Time bound sample papers and model papers available online also help students in managing time so that they can complete the questions within the allotted time in the examination. 

Unlike traditional classroom learning with mundane books, online learning is an exhilarating way to learn Chemistry. It not only helps in getting solutions to queries but also aims at the all-round development of students by enhancing their confidence levels.

Online study material for Chemistry, centers on the understanding the core concepts of the subject and improving the problem solving skills of students. If students follow the online study material for Chemistry with dedication, it would no longer be a difficult subject for them.

CBSE - Paving Way for Stress-free Learning

CBSE’s recent initiative to make class 10 board exams optional is the talk of the town. The introduction of Grading System along with the continuous and comprehensive evaluation, intends to make students lives easier. So, all the students who are to appear in their class 10 CBSE board exams from the academic year 2010-11 have an option to choose from!

In order to make studying a stress-free experience for students, CBSE regularly introduces reforms in its examination and evaluation processes. And the introduction of the grading system is considered as a step ahead in these reforms. CBSE understands its responsibility to deliver an atmosphere and a system to its students that is conducive for them to intellectually grow and maintain their pace in the extra curricular activities. Besides conducting exams for the students of class 10 and class 12, CBSE also conducts All India Engineering Entrance Examination and All India Pre Medical Test. Both of these are national level entrance exams and are a rage amongst students. Clearing these exams with a significantly good score gives students a direct entry to the top engineering and medical institutes of India. 

Apart from making reforms in the examination and evaluation processes, CBSE is also continuously involved in elevating the overall academic standard in the country. Continuous efforts are on to devise a student - friendly and a student - centric model by incorporating innovations in the present system. Various initiatives have been taking place in this respect. However, the one initiative that has emerged a continuous success year after year is the ‘CBSE Helpline’. CBSE Helpline was introduced a few years back and since then counsellors at CBSE Helpline are working hard to keep up with the queries of the students. These counsellors at CBSE Helpline address queries regarding the course curriculum, help students deal with exam related stress, provide moral support and encouragement etc.

Plans are in the pipeline to make CBSE an international board on the lines of IB and Cambridge International Examinations. Soon CBSE as an international board will also focus on students from other countries who are planning to pursue their higher studies in India.

With the entire structure in place, I am positive that CBSE will come out with more policies that make the entire academic culture more student-friendly.

How to study as per CBSE syllabus?

CBSE syllabus is usually the first thing that a student goes through when he/she steps into a new academic year. The key to a smooth academic year is to study right from the start of the academic session. Studying all the concepts enumerated in the CBSE syllabus in a systematic manner will not only help students gain complete conceptual clarity but will also enable them to enjoy the process of learning.

In order to experience a stress-free and smooth study ride, it is very important for students to divide their academic activity into logical steps and deal with each step one-by-one. Here are a few pointers for all you CBSE students out there on how to divide your learning activity into steps.

• Go through the CBSE syllabus! The first and foremost step is to go through the CBSE syllabus thoroughly. A thorough read of grade-specific CBSE syllabus helps students to make an assessment of the time and effort required to proficiently complete all the topics. While going through the CBSE syllabus, students should highlight all the important topics that are likely to call for a greater investment of time and effort.
• Set Goals! Once through with highlighting the important topics in CBSE syllabus, the next important step is to prepare a detailed study plan. This detailed study plan will help students deal with the requirements of all the subjects efficiently. Students can either prepare this detailed plan themselves or can seek help from online study planners made available by a lot of websites. These online study planners will not only list down all the topics in a particular subject along with the related activities expected to be undertaken by a student but will also help students with regular updates of their progress. In order to ensure timely completion of CBSE syllabus, students should set for themselves daily and weekly targets and regularly review their performance.
• Collect Study Material! Once through with setting targets, students should then start collecting all the relevant study material. If students choose not to invest excessive effort and time in organizing study material, they can refer to websites that provide curriculum aligned study material. The study material available at these websites is supported with multimedia videos and value-adding graphics. This multimedia enriched study material will not on help with effective and speedy understanding of concepts but will also ensure timely completion of CBSE syllabus.
• Study as per the plan! After organizing the study material, students are then expected to start off with the actual process of studying. To keep up with the daily and weekly targets and to ensure that all the topics in CBSE syllabus are efficiently completed, students should not let their minds get distracted and study with a single-minded focus.
• Revision is must! Students should never miss out on the essential revision activity. Revision helps students assess their level of preparation for the final exams, reinforce learning and allow them to take corrective steps in order to improve in their weak areas. Students can study using a variety of revision tools like revision notes, model tests, practice tests, flash cards etc.

Now that all you students out there know how to efficiently complete your CBSE syllabus, take a go at it right away!

All the best!

CBSE makes learning easier

The Central Board of Secondary Education - commonly known as CBSE came into existence in the year 1962. CBSE is central government organization.  It has its head office in Delhi. Also it has 8 regional offices across the country.

CBSE is working hard to give quality education to the schools affiliated with it. Many schools in India and outside India are affiliated to CBSE. Classes 9 to 12 are considered as the most important classes therefore CBSE itself prepares the syllabus for these classes.  It conducts two important examinations every year- the All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE) for class 10th and the All India Senior School Certificate Examination (AISSCE) for class 12th. These two exams are very important and the students take them seriously as the scores in these two exams are responsible for taking admissions in different undergraduate programs and colleges. CBSE as an organization recognized worldwide so it helps the students to get admission anywhere in the world. All the KV’s (Kendriya Vidyalaya) are affiliated to the CBSE board.

The role of CBSE does not end here. In addition to school exams for classes X and XII CBSE also conducts other major exams such as AIEEE and AIPMT. The AIEEE (All India Engineering Entrance Examination) is an all India engineering examination for those who want to take up engineering as a subject for higher studies after their class 12th. CBSE also conducts AIPMT (PMT/PDT) - the All India Pre Medical Test (Pre Medical Test/ Pre Dental Test) for those who want to get into the medical field.

CBSE also introduced the grading system for class 10th in the year 2009. According to CBSE, it will help the students in reducing the mental pressure. Also it will help in decreasing the number of bad results . As per the grading system those scoring between 100-91 will get A1 and would be considered as a 10 pointer. The next grade is A2 for those who score between 81-90. Similarly B1 for 71-80, B2 for 61-70, C1 for 51-60, C2 for 41-50, D for 33-40, E1 for 21- 32 and E2 for those who are below 20.

CBSE has made class 10th board exams optional from this academic year. A new system of evaluation known as CCE (Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation) has been introduced. It comprises of formative assessment and summative assessment. According to the CBSE, students will be evaluated on both the basis. In formative assessment, evaluation will be done on the basis of their performance in class work, homework, assignments, and project work. In summative assessment, two term examination will be conducted- one in the starting and one at the end of the term. The first term will carry 20 marks and the second term will carry 40 marks.

Every year CBSE is trying to make the quality of education even better. The introduction of the new evaluation system makes it clear that CBSE is leaving no stone unturned to make learning easy for its students.

Meritnation.com launches General Knowledge Pack

Studying General Knowledge could not have got more fun! Meritnation.com launches a G.K. Pack for classes IV-X. Now discover interesting facts about the world of science, technology, sports, literature & more as you study with the help of interactive flash-based content for G.K.

Meritnation’s General Knowledge Pack is organized into sections that cover areas such as Natural World, Science & Technology, Sports & Entertainment etc. The content within each module is further divided into two levels – level I and level II – to cater to the primary and middle school years respectively. Presented in the form of interactive tests, these modules cover thousands of questions in various fun and engaging game formats, such as match the following, crossword, hidden grid & more. Instant feedback in the form of score and correct answers for all the questions makes learning fun and easy. And the best part of it all- you can take these tests as many times as you wish till you get the feeling-‘I know it all’ 

So wait no longer! Subscribe now and show-off your G.K. as you study with the help of Meritnation.com’s G.K. Pack.

Cheers!

Team Meritnation