The decision comes just three days before the third language exams of the state board Class 10. The third language is mainly Hindi in Karnataka. (File photo)
Karnataka has replaced the marks-based assessment for the third language paper in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination with a grading system, School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced on Friday.
The decision will take effect from the ongoing SSLC examination cycle. Under the revised system, marks obtained in the third language paper will not be included in a student’s final aggregate score, though appearing for the exam will remain mandatory for all registered candidates. As a result, the total marks for SSLC evaluation will be reduced from 625 to 525.
Instead of eliminating the third language assessment altogether, the state board has decided to replace marks with a grading system. Students will now be awarded grades — A, B, C or D — instead of numerical scores, reducing the fear of failure associated with the subject. The pass–fail system for the third language has been scrapped, and the change will apply uniformly across all third language options in the curriculum.
The decision comes just three days before the third language exams of the state board Class 10. The third language is mainly Hindi in Karnataka.
On the other hand, students across Karnataka have raised concerns over a last-minute revision to the SSLC Class 10 examination timetable, saying the change has left them with insufficient time to prepare for one of the curriculum’s most demanding papers.
The schedule disruption followed the announcement of a public holiday on March 30, which necessitated the rescheduling of the third language examination to March 31. The shift, while accommodating the holiday, reduced the preparation window ahead of the Social Science examination scheduled for April 2.
Social Science, which includes a syllabus of over 33 lessons spanning history, geography, and civics, is considered one of the most extensive subjects in the curriculum. With the revised timetable, students now have only one full day to prepare.
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Education officials have acknowledged receiving representations from students in some districts. However, as of now, no official decision has been announced regarding further changes to the schedule.
As many as 9,02,889 students have registered for the Karnataka SSLC 2026 Class 10 exams. Among the registered students, 8,12,855 are freshers, 62,845 are repeaters, and 27,189 are private students. The Karnataka SSLC students began with the first language paper on March 18, followed by science on March 23 and the second language on March 25. On March 28 and 30, the mathematics and third language papers will be conducted. The Karnataka board Class 10 SSLC 2026 exams will end with the social science paper on April 2.
For more updates on Karnataka board SSLC Class 10 exams, students can check the IE Education website.
