Replying to the supplementary questions raised by MLA Jaane Alam Mia in the state Assembly, De said that while the gradation system will come into effect from next year, the current practice of assigning marks will also continue for some more time till students get accustomed to the new system of evaluation.

De said the grade system was accepted all over the world and was being introduced under the national curriculum framework in the country. He said the state government was taking various steps to reduce stress level among students. “The grade system will have seven levels. The new marksheets won’t have the aggregate marks or divisions mentioned,” the minister said.

Under the new system, the minimum pass marks for each subject will be 25. Addressing the House, he said the department is also taking steps to improve infrastructure and will offer financial assistance for the purpose.

MLA Barry O’Brien said the students were under tremendous pressure of performing better. O’Brien wondered if the department was serious about coming up with a code of conduct for helping reduce stress level in children.

De replied that the department had already introduced stress management exercises in schools and teachers were being oriented about them. President of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education Mamata Roy said amendments in the existing system of unit tests have been made keeping in view the Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation system.

“For classes V to IX, there will be five unit tests. After two unit tests a supplementary unit test will be arranged for students who have not fared well in the earlier ones,” said Roy. The teachers will decide about the performance of students in the unit test. In case of students from classes V to VIII, each subject will carry maximum marks of 200. Of this, unit tests will carry 120.

In case of Class IX students, unit tests and annual examination will carry equal marks.

The minister said his department was also thinking of bringing the academic session a little forward from the existing session beginning May.