HS Council corrects qualification criteria error in exam regulations

Kolkata: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has corrected an error in its examination regulations, nearly a year after it went unnoticed. Starting 2024–2025 academic session, the Council introduced a semester system for Class XI. The first batch under this system is set to appear for the Higher Secondary (HS) examinations in 2025–2026. Classes for Semester III of Class XII commenced earlier this month. Controversy erupted following the publication of the Class XI results, as a student who believed they had met the passing criteria was declared unsuccessful.

The issue led to the courts, leading to the discovery that the regulations published in the Kolkata Gazette on August 21, 2024, contained critical discrepancies. While the Council had verbally announced that students must secure at least 30 per cent marks in any three elective subjects separately across Semester I (or the supplementary examination) and Semester II, the Gazette notification erroneously stated that passing in just one elective subject would be sufficient. Specifically, Regulation 3, Sub-regulation 8(ii), incorrectly mentioned that a student would pass by securing 30 per cent marks in any one of the three elective subjects separately across the semesters. A similar mistake was identified in Regulation 5, Sub-regulation 9(ii), pertaining to the Class XII semesters. According to the latest notification, students of Class XI must secure at least 30 percent marks in any three elective subjects separately across Semester I/Supplementary Examination and Semester II. The same criteria will apply to Semester III and Semester IV of Class XII. Other qualification criteria, such as obtaining a minimum of 30 percent marks in each compulsory language subject in each semester and securing 30 per cent separately in the practical/project components, remain unchanged. WBCHSE officials admitted the oversight.