Big Board test for kids and kin today

New Delhi: The grey skies complemented the mood outside most schools in the capital Thursday as Class 12 students began their Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams.

Jittery students flipping through thick textbooks last minute while parents tried to calm them were a common sight.

This year the examination began with Physics, a subject not everyone is very comfortable with. "I just hope I don't forget the formulae. They are very important...," trailed off Vaishali, biting her nails and poring through her Physics textbook in the metro as her father stood by.

But if students are nervous, so are parents. Most parents could be seen waiting near the gates of the schools where their wards are taking their paper.

"Physics is not an easy subject. But Animesh, my son, was not as nervous as I was. I tried my best to conceal my feelings!" said Anjana Bandopadhyay, standing near the gates of the Delhi Public School, RK Puram, where her son is taking his paper. He is a student of Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan.

"Nipun, my son, was not very tense. The only thing that he was upset about is that he will not be able to concentrate on the World Cup!" said another mother. "In fact I am a little nervous. I will wait here till he's done."

Beginning at 1030 hrs IST., the exam lasts for three hours, with 15 minutes cool-off time which helps students collect themselves and read the questions properly before getting down to the task of answering the paper.

Ginny Ghuman, a teacher and mother of a son taking his Class 12 exams this year, however, looked more relaxed. "I think girls are more sensitive than boys are. Or maybe boys don't want to show their true feelings.

"In any case, my son Guriyog put in six to seven hours of study everyday and is not nervous," she said.

Her son is a student of Delhi Public School, Dhaula Kuan.

This year 502,688 students from 4,789 schools will take the Class 12 examinations both in India and abroad - an increase of 9.59 percent from 2006.

The students will take their exams in the 2,276 examination centres, of which 33 are in foreign countries.