Ending the uncertainty looming over Class 12 exams, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and the Central Board of Secondary Education cancelled the exams.
In view of the uncertain conditions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the feedback obtained from the various stakeholders, the Centre on Tuesday decided to cancel the CBSE Class XII board exams for 2021.
Along with CBSE and CISCE, several state boards have all ocanclled the Class 12 exam, while several others said that they will take the decision soon.
We have collated the list of updates for various states and boards:
CBSE
In view of the uncertain conditions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the feedback obtained from the various stakeholders, the CBSE Class XII board exams for 2021 were cancelled on Tuesday.
The decision was taken after a key meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Cabinet ministers and the concerned officials.
It was decided that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will take steps to compile the results of Class XII students as per a well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner. It was also decided that like last year, in case some students desire to take the exams, such an option would be provided to them by CBSE, as and when the situation becomes conducive.
CISCE
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Tuesday informed that the Indian School Certificate (ISC) Board examinations of Class 12 have been cancelled.
Speaking to ANI, Dr G Immanuel, Chairman, Council for CISCE said, "Indian School Certificate (ISC) Board examinations (Class 12) have been cancelled. The final decision on compiling results is yet to be taken." Earlier, the Central government decided that class XII board exams of CBSE would not be held this year in view of the uncertain conditions due to COVID-19 and the feedback obtained from various stakeholders. The government said that CBSE will take steps to compile the results of class XII students as per well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner.
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh has cancelled Class 12 board exam.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Minister Varsha Gaikwad welcomed the Centre's decision and said that the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led government will soon announce the decision for HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) students in the state.
"Considering the current situation of COVID-19, the growing infection in children and the anxiety among the students over the confusion of the exams, the Maharashtra government had demanded an alternative system instead of exams and a unified policy at the national level," Gaikawad said.
"Considering these demands, the decision of the Central government to cancel the CBSE Class XII examination is certainly welcome. Although, the 12th exam is an important step in a child's academic life, given the current situation, the health and safety of students should be a priority for all of us," she added.
"The Government of Maharashtra will soon take a decision regarding the Maharashtra State Board of Education's Class 12 examinations considering the health and safety of the students," she further said.
Gujarat
Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has cancelled Class 12 board examination.
The information was shared by State Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama.
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it was an important step to ensure the health and safety of students.
"On behalf of all the students and parents, heartfelt thanks to you the respected Prime Minister," he tweeted Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, in a statement, said the cancellation of the exams is in the interest of students, parents and teachers.
He said a decision about the Class 12 exams of the UP Secondary Board would soon be taken after a meeting with the chief minister.
Haryana
The Haryana government has also decided to cancel the Class 12 exams conducted by the state board, Education Minister Kanwar Pal said on Tuesday.
"We have also decided to cancel the Class 12 board exams in the state which were to be conducted by the Haryana Board of School Education," Pal told PTI over phone.
West Bengal
Though West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier announced that there will be Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations this year but the state government, on Wednesday formed an expert committee to decide whether the board exams are possible in this pandemic situation.
The expert committee has been asked to give its report within 72 hours.
On Wednesday, the day when the exam schedule for Madhyamik and Higher Secondary was supposed to be announced, the state government postponed the announcement and formed an expert committee to review the entire situation and submit a report within 72 hours on the possibility and mechanism of conducting the exams in this corona situation.
Sources in the board said the committee will give its opinion on several things including whether exams are possible and if it is possible then what will be the mechanism of conducting them without exposing students to the infection. The committee will also look into the aspects of evaluating the students if there are no exams at all.
Sources in the board indicated that top board officials including President of West Bengal Board of Secondary Examination (WBBSE) Kalyanmoy Ganguly, President of West Bengal Council for Higher Secondary Examination (WBCHSE) Mohua Das and Chairperson of West Bengal Commission for the Protection of Child Rights Ananya Chakraborty will be a part of the expert committee. Apart from that there will be doctors who are working with Covid patients, child psychologists and members of different NGOs who work mainly with the children and teen-agers.
"The expert committee has been asked to submit their report within 72 hours. The state government will evaluate the whole thing in the light of the report submitted by the expert committee and then the final decision will be taken. However, it will not take long because the board is keen to ease out the tension of the students," a senior board official said.
The board officials are of the opinion that after the cancellation of the class XII exams of the CBSE and ISC, the formation of an expert committee is very significant because the health of the students is the most important thing for the boards as well as the state government.
"We will not compromise on the health of nearly 21 lakh Madhyamik and Higher Secondary students and for that we are ready to take any kind of hard decision," the member said.
Earlier chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said that the state government has decided to conduct the Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examination in the second week of August and last week of July respectively where only examinations of the compulsory subjects will be taken, leaving the schools to give marks for the additional subjects based on the internal assessment.
The chief minister had also said that the time tenure of both the exams will be 1.5 hours instead of 3 hours. "There are 15 compulsory subjects and 37 additional subjects in the three streams. We have decided to take exams only of the compulsory subjects which are likely to take 16 days. The numbers of the additional subjects will be given by the respective schools," she had said.
There are a total of 12 lakh students and they will take their examination in their home centres only. The examination will be of 1.5 hours and the students will have to give their exams only on the 7 compulsory subjects. Numbers for the additional subjects will be given by the school authorities on the basis of internal assessments.
Bihar
Bihar has already held the class 12 board exams and declared results as well.
Chhattisgarh
The Chhattisgarh Board or CGBSE has begun the Class 12 exams today.
(With inputs from agencies)
