State govt junks proposal to reduce maximum marks for SSLC first language from 125 to 100

BENGALURU: The state government has red-flagged a proposal from the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board to reduce the maximum marks for first language papers from 125 to 100 in SSLC exams. With this, the maximum marks for the first language papers will continue to remain 125.

Students of SSLC have the option of choosing one of the nine languages as their first language, including Kannada. The government and the Primary Education Department have decided to tread cautiously the mixed response to cutting the minimum pass marks for SSLC students from 35 to 33.

The proposal on first language met with opposition as soon as it was put forth with litterateur Baragur Ramachandrappa, Union Minister V Somanna, various Kannada groups and others calling for not reducing the maximum marks. Hence, the maximum marks for SSLC students will continue to be 625, at least for now.

Meanwhile, the Primary Education Department has said that the reduction in minimum pass marks from 35 to 33 will apply to only fresh students and not for repeaters or private students. Also, there won’t be any change in minimum marks for PUC students.