THE Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday cancelled class 10 exams and postponed class 12 exams in view of surge in COVID-19 cases. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The board exams for class 12 to be held from May 4 to June 14 are hereby postponed. These exams will be held hereafter. The situation will be reviewed on June 1 by the board and details will be shared subsequently. A notice of at least 15 days will be given before the start of the examinations,” an official of the Ministry of Education (MoE) said. “The board exams for class 10 are hereby cancelled.

 

 

 

The results of class 10 board will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the board. Any candidate who is not satisfied with the marks allocated to him or her on this basis will be given an opportunity to sit in an exam as and when the conditions are conducive to hold the exams,” the official added. Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, School and Higher Education Secretaries and other top officials attended the meeting.

 

“The pandemic situation in the country is seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 positive cases in many States, with a few States having been affected more than others. In this situation, schools have been shut down in 11 States. “Unlike State Boards, CBSE has an all-India character, and therefore, it is essential to hold exams simultaneously throughout the country. Looking to the present situation of the pandemic and school closures, and also taking into account the safety and well-being of the students, the crucial decisions have been taken,” the MoE official said.

 

During the meeting, Prime Minister looked like a concerned guardian of the children. He expressed concern about the health of the students who were supposed to take part in class 10 board exams. According to highly placed sources, the officials had come to the meeting with a proposal to postpone the board exams and not to cancel it. The officials affirmed that once the situation gets normal, exams can be conducted, but the Prime Minister put his foot down and clearly said, the country cannot take the risk with the health of the children as they are under-age. Therefore, it is necessary to cancel the exams altogether, rather than defer them.