CBSE Board Class 12th exam kicks off with lengthy physics paper

The CBSE Class XII board examinations started on Tuesday on a satisfactory note for students.

The first paper was physics and the students found it a mixed bag, with a majority saying the questions were relatively easy. Their only grouse was that with a lesser emphasis on numerical in the new format, the paper was quite lengthy.

Many students complained that they could not attempt all the questions because of lack of time, but they agreed that the questions were not very difficult. “ Since the new format restricts the numerical component to 20 per cent of the total, the number of subjective questions increased automatically, attempting all of which in the allotted time proved difficult.

But overall, the level of the question paper set was aimed to cater to all — average, below average, and above average — students,” Pummy Kulshrestha, the physics teacher at Bloom Public School, said.

Kulshrestha , however, added that such a subjective question paper wasn’t conducive for students preparing for competitive examinations, in which the composition of numericals is higher. Students, too, accepted that the question paper catered to even below- average students.

“ In spite of being lengthy, it was a paper in which anyone could score. I personally feel that the number of numericals should have been higher, but it was a fair examination for everyone,” Garima Basumapary, 17, a student of Bloom Public school said.

Nearly 1.8 million students are expected to appear for the CBSE Class X and XII board examinations across the country.

A total of 769,929 (7.69 lakh) students will appear for the Class XII exams, of which 454,131 (4.54 lakh) are boys and 315,798 (3.15 lakh) are girls. A total of 1,061,566 (10.61 lakh) Class X students will appear for the continuous comprehensive evaluation under the CBSE.