Uccha Madhyamik Pariksha

Uccha Madhyamik Pariksha

Acronym	HS
Type	Paper-based Standardized test
Administrator	West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE)
Skills tested	Subject-specific knowledge (Science, Commerce, Humanities)
Purpose	standardized exam for higher secondary education completion as well as admission to the undergraduate courses in various higher education institutions in the State of West Bengal.
Year started	1978 (under WBCHSE)[1]
Duration	February - March (annually)
Score range	0 to 100 per subject
Offered	Once a year
Regions	West Bengal, India
Languages	Bengali, English, Santali(depending on the medium of instruction)
Website	wbchse.wb.gov.in

Uccha Madhyamik Pariksha, also known as Higher Secondary Examination (HS), is a public examination conducted by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE). It is the final school-level exam in West Bengal, held at the end of Grade 12.[2] Students from various streams, including Science, Commerce, and Humanities, participate in this exam. The result of this examination plays a critical role in determining admission to higher education institutions.[3]

History

The exam is conducted by West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. It was established under the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education Act, 1975, to manage and regulate higher secondary education in West Bengal.[4] First HS examination was held in 1978.[1] By 2023, around 8.5 lakh students took the exam.[5]

Structure & Format

The Uccha Madhyamik Pariksha follows a structured format with theory and practical examinations, depending on the subject. The theory portion typically carries more weight, with practicals applicable to subjects like Chemistry, Biology, and Physics.

Semester System

The new semester system introduced by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) for Uccha Madhyamik Pariksha (Class 11 and 12) divides the curriculum into four semesters to ease the academic burden and align with the state's education reforms.[6][7]

Semester 1 (XI)

Covers foundational subjects, including two languages and three elective subjects.

Exam conducted in September, based on Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).

Semester 2 (XI)

Continuation of advanced topics in the chosen subjects.

Exams conducted in March, with Short Answer Type Questions (SAQs) and Descriptive Questions (DQs).

Practical and project evaluations are done in this semester.

Semester 3 (XII)

This semester contributes directly to the Uccha Madhyamik final exam.

Exam held in September, based on MCQs.

Semester 4 (XII)

Final preparations for the Uccha Madhyamik exam.

Exam held in April, based on SAQs and DQs.

Practical and project evaluations are conducted during this period.

See also

• Madhyamik Pariksha
• West Bengal Board of Secondary Education
• West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education

References

1. "Secretary's Desk". Retrieved 14 September 2024. Higher Secondary (10+2) curriculum was initiated in the year of 1976 and the first Higher Secondary Examination took place in the year 1978.
2. "West Bengal HS final exam schedule revised, check details here". Hindustan Times. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024. ...the HS or Class 12 final examinations ...
3. SAROHA, SAKSHI (11 August 2017). "WBCHSE Result 12th, WB HS Result, West Bengal Higher Secondary Results, wbresults.nic.in". Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024. ...holds great importance for the students. On the basis of WB Board HS Result 2016, students will be able to apply and enrol in the colleges and universities for graduate level courses...
4. "The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education Act, 1975 (Bengali Version)" (PDF) (in Bengali). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
5. Sinha Roy, Anirban (14 March 2023). "8.5 lakh students appear for West Bengal Uchha Madhyamik exam amidst three-layer security". India Today. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
6. "উচ্চ মাধ্যমিকে সেমেস্টার চালু হচ্ছে রাজ্যে, চার বার পরীক্ষায় বসতে হবে আগামীর পড়ুয়াদের" [In higher secondary education, the semester system is being introduced in the state, and future students will have to appear for exams four times]. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
7. "Notification Regarding Introduction of Semester System". 18 April 2024.