A decision on the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class XII examinations is likely to be announced today by the Centre. This decision will bring in clarity for 14 lakh registered students who is sceptical about their exam during this pandemic situation.
The CBSC class XII exams were postponed due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was originally scheduled to be held in May this year. The Education Ministry earlier said that it will review this situation on 1st June. Subsequently, on 31st May, the Centre told the Supreme Court it will announce a decision by 3rd of June.
Senior officials at the Ministry are saying that the Centre is favourably considering a proposal to conduct a shorter version of the exams. Last week, the plan was also presented by the CBSE at a meeting with State Education Ministers. The exams will only be conducted in 19 major subjects as per decisions made by the officials.
However, large section of parents and students are demanding cancellation of examinations in view of the current situation.
The exams are likely to be conducted twice so that no Covid affected students and areas get excluded. Students will be allowed to write the exams in their own schools. A shorter 90-minute question paper with multiple choice and short answer questions will be used this time.
Athough a few State Governments preferred the regular three-hour exam,
a majority of State governments favoured this revised option. Delhi and Maharashtra State governments expressed that no exams should be held until students and teachers are fully vaccinated. They further suggested that grading should be done using scores from past examinations and tests.
Since students have not written any exams this year, the Centre has indicated that this may not be an option this time. The board exams were interrupted by the pandemic last year which resulted in the cancellation of some papers and the CBSE board had used an alternative assessment method to assign grades in those subjects by using scores from the completed papers.
However, on Monday the top court expresses that if the Centre was departing from last year's policy of yearly examination it must give a "good reason" for doing so this year.
"The importance of the Class XII board exams and the All India Entrance exams in shaping the future and defining the careers of students", emphasizes Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank during last week's meeting with State ministers.
