Class 12 board exams have been postponed and Class 10 exams have been cancelled because of a nationwide COVID surge that had led to parents, students and various states demanding that the exams by scrapped. The big announcement followed a meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi held in the afternoon with top officers.
The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) exams for Class 12, which were to be held from May 4 to June 14, have been postponed, said Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in tweets. A decision would be taken on them on June 1, he said, adding that students would have at least 15 days’ notice before the exams.
On the Class 10 exams, the minister said the results would be prepared “on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the Board” and any student not satisfied with their marks would be given the chance to take the exam when conditions would allow them.
Modi said in the meeting that “the well-being of students has to be the top priority for the government”, said a statement.
He reportedly also said the Centre would keep in mind the best interests of students, ensuring their health was taken care of but their academic interests were not harmed.
It was discussed in the meeting that the country was seeing a resurgence of Covid cases in many states and some had been affected more than the others. Unlike state boards, the CBSE had to hold exams simultaneously throughout the country.
COVID cases have been spiraling in the deadly second wave of infections. This morning, India recorded 1,84,372 new coronavirus infections in the highest single-day rise so far, with 1,027 deaths.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those who had urged the centre to cancel the exams to prevent millions of students from being exposed to infection.
Arvind Kejriwal, pointing to the alarming rise in virus cases in Delhi, said on Tuesday: “Six lakh students in the city will appear for board exams. One lakh teachers will be on duty. Conducting board exams can lead to largescale spread of coronavirus… alternative methods of assessment can be explored. Students can be promoted on basis of either online exams or internal assessment. The board exams should be cancelled.”
