National Curriculum Coordination Committee (NCCC) today decided to lessen 200 marks in Junior School Certificate (JSC) and Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) examinations from this year.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the committee at the Ministry of Education in a bid to lower the pressure on studies of V and VIII, said Sohorab Hossain, secretary of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education division, who chaired the meeting.

At present, JSC examinees sit for the 850-mark test including an optional subject which will be a 650-mark test, whereas JDC examinees will sit for the 850-mark test which was 1050.

As per the revised mark distribution, Bangla first and second paper examinations will be held on 100 marks -- 50 for each of the paper. Similar marks distribution will be followed in English first and second papers.

Similar changes were also proposed for Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations.

“As the marks will be reduced, the size of the syllabus and the curriculum will be abridged to some extent when the new books will be published in 2019. The decision has been taken to ease up the pressure of the students,” Sohorab further said.

However, educationists will be consulted so that there is no impact on the learning outcome of the students.

Asked if the multiple choice questions (MCQ) will be dropped from this year exams, the education secretary said, the MCQ type questions will remain at this year’s tests but they are also pondering over some other alternatives.