Karnataka to set common State-level papers for first PU exams

Karnataka will set common State-level papers for first-year pre-university (I PU) examinations, so that every first PU student sits the same papers.

First PU is the Class 11 year, the step before the second PU (Class 12) board examinations that decide college admissions. Until now its annual examinations have largely been set at the level of colleges or districts, so standards and difficulty varied from place to place.

A common paper should make first-year results comparable across the State and prepare students for the format of the second PU board exams. Colleges will need to cover the full syllabus on time for it to work.

The Department of Pre-University Education is expected to announce the details, including whether the change applies to this year’s annual examinations.