A Strategic Move Or A Step Back

MP Board reintroduces Best of Five scheme

In a major decision aimed at addressing the sharp decline in passing percentages, the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) has decided to reinstate the controversial Best of Five scheme for both Class IX and Class X students appearing for the 2025 board exams. The move comes after the state witnessed a dramatic drop in student pass rates, falling from 90% to less than 55% following the removal of the scheme in previous years.

While the policy change is being hailed as a much-needed relief for students who struggled under the pressure of passing all six subjects, there are growing concerns about the longer-term impact on the state's Performance Grading Index (PGI) and educational standards.

A strategic move or a step back

The Best of Five scheme allows students to exclude their lowest-scoring subject from the final calculation, with only the best five subjects considered for the overall percentage. Under this system, students are required to pass five out of six subjects, giving them a chance to focus on their strengths while minimizing the impact of weaker subjects.