Information on Science Practicals in Class IX issued by CBSE

Experiments are a central feature of the scientific method. No theory or law, however refined it may look, is acceptable in science unless it is confirmed by experiment. Experiments are also the primary tool to investigate new domains of nature. Science progresses through a continual interplay of theory and experiment. We are all aware of the great experiments that changed the course of scientific progress: Galileo's experiments on inclined planes and pendula, Faraday's experiments on electricity and magnetism, Lavoisier's experiments on combustion, Mendel's experiments on genetics and Rutherford's experiments on radioactivity, to name a few.

Just as experiments are important for advancement in science, they are equally important for learning science. School science education must, therefore, have experiments as its important focus. Experiments aid learning of science in several ways. First, they convey to the students the right message that science is about the real world around us -it is not just a theoretical subject abounding in formal definitions, formulas and laws. The latter is also important, no doubt; but theory must not stand in isolation it relates to the real world. Experiments connect the theoretical world of text books to the real concrete world of experience. Second, experience shows that experiments are a way to create interest in science among students. They attract students of a wide range of abilities. Once the interest in the subject is kindled, students begin to take interest in the more theoretical parts of the subject too and thus improve their overall competence in science. Third, experiments promote the basic skills and competencies involved in science: procedural and manipulative skills, observation skills, skills of representing and interpreting data and the accompanying conceptual and critical abilities. For these various reasons, it is widely accepted that school science curriculum must have a strong 'activity and experiment-based' components

The importance of experiments in science education has been recognized in the national policy of education for the last several decades. In practice, however, despite many efforts, experiments have not received their due importance and emphasis in science teaching in our schools. The problem is complex and arises due to a combination of several factors. Two reasons are often cited for the lack of emphasis on experiments in our schools. First, experiments require a certain minimum infrastructure -a laboratory with certain basic equipments, recurring expenditure on consumables, etc. This minimum infrastructure is not always available in all schools in our country. Second, in view of the difficult logistics involved in assessing experimental work for the large number of school students, the assessment of experiments has not been as serious as that for the theory part of the curriculum. What is not assessed externally is usually marginalized in our school system. In short, lack of infrastructure and, more important, lack of proper assessment, have resulted in the unfortunate marginalization or neglect of experimental work in Indian schools. 

The Central Board of Secondary Education has always been concerned about giving due emphasis to experiments in the schools and has taken several steps in this matter in the past. It tries to ensure that its affiliated schools have the necessary infrastructure to carry out the experiments prescribed in the syllabus for Classes IX and X. To make this feasible for all its schools, care is taken that the laboratory curriculum does not demand excessively costly equipment. In order to strengthen the assessment of practicals for Classes IX and X, CBSE has now decided to take a new initiative aimed at increasing the emphasis of practicals in schools, promoting seriousness in carrying out the practicals, and in making assessment of practicals even more uniform and reliable. Currently, the weightage given to theory and practicals at secondary level is 75% and 25% respectively. Besides, the practical examination is conducted at school level and the marks obtained by every student are indicated separately in the certificate issued by the Board. 

As per the new scheme, theory and practical examination will have a weightage of 60% and 40% respectively. The practical examination will comprise of two components. One component of this practical examination will be in the form of a written test, to be conducted by the Board in Class X as an independent paper. This question paper will be of 20 marks and 1½ hour duration. It will aim at testing of practical skills through multiple-choice type questions. Each multiple-choice question will have four options, with only one of them as the correct option. The second component will also have a weightage of 20 marks but will be conducted at school level on the lines being followed presently. 

The Board hopes that this initiative will be an important step not only to give experiments their due place in the subject of Science and Technology but also to promote, in general, an experimental culture in our school system.