PANAJI
With implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) for Class X, the Goa Board has scrapped its age-old grace marks scheme while introducing what is called Compensation scheme from the current 2025-26 academic year onwards. The scheme will be made applicable to only those students who are remarked as “needs improvement”.
The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) has already announced March 2, 2026 as a tentative date for commencement of Class X Board exam and for which a new student assessment pattern has been released. As against the earlier six subjects, the students will have ten subjects that include four skill-based subjects. Also, from this year, History and Geography is merged as a single subject ‘Social Science’.
The ten subjects are divided into Scholastic subjects -- Language 1, 2, 3, Social Science, Science and Mathematics and Skill-based subjects are Interdisciplinary area, NSQF/Others, Art Education and Physical Education.
Speaking to The Goan, GBSHSE Chairman Bhagirath Shetye said the Board has decided to do away with the condonation and grace marks system and has introduced what is called a ‘compensation scheme’ for those candidates that need improvement and provided that the candidate passes after applying the scheme. He said that this is the first batch that will be answering the public exam after implementation of NEP.
Shetye said that students with grades H or I in one or two Scholastic Subjects will have their grade upgraded if they score a minimum of 65 per cent in two skill subjects and minimum of 50 per cent in the remaining two skill subjects.
“The compensation scheme allows for the up-gradation of any two subjects from among the six scholastic subjects. Additionally, the Sports Merit Marks may be utilized to help them pass the examination. Compensation scheme and sports merit marks can be exercised simultaneously,” the Board said in a circular issued on Wednesday.
Shetye said that while History and Geography have been merged as a single subject of social science, the Mathematics Level I and Level II concept will be continued.
As per the assessment pattern, each scholastic subject is evaluated out of 100 marks with 80 marks for the theory and 20 marks for internal assessment, including periodic tests, notebook submissions, practical, etc. except for Science, where the theory comprises 70 marks while 30 marks for internal assessment.
For the skill-based subjects, the assessment covers 60 marks while the theory component is 40. Shetye said that for the four new subjects introduced under NEP, the assessment for Class X will be carried out by school, but the board may send question papers for these subjects.
