Full marks to students for volt jolt question

TT, Feb 7: Students who appeared for the ISC physics practical examination yesterday will be awarded full marks for the two-mark question that left many examinees confused.

"The examinees will be given the benefit of the doubt. Marks will be awarded for attempting the two-mark question," Gerry Arathoon, the chief executive and secretary, Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), told Metro today.

Question number 2 of the paper required the examinees to do a potentiometer bridge experiment in electricity while maintaining a particular voltage range. But the experiment was actually possible only at a lower voltage than specified, teachers said.

Students across schools were stumped by the question and spent a long time trying to conduct the experiment in compliance with the instructions in the question paper.

Heads of many schools wrote to the council explaining the problem. The council responded this evening, assuring that all students would be awarded two marks for attempting the question, a principal said.

"Students will be given the full two marks even if they have just written Question number 2 on the answer script," said a principal of a school after a discussion with council officials today.

The ISC physics practical paper carries 20 marks and most science students aim for full marks to ensure a high score in the overall physics paper, a teacher said.

Before the evaluation of this year's answer scripts begins, the council will hold a series of meetings with the examiners to discuss the marking scheme in various subjects. The meeting to decide on the marking pattern for the physics practical exam will be held after a week where the council will instruct examiners to award two marks to students for Question no. 2.