The Class 10 board exams were cancelled and the class 12 board exams scheduled in May-June were postponed in view of the aggressive second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The ICSE and CBSE board had decided to cancel the class 10 exams in order to ensure the safety of students. Thereafter, many states have followed suit and decided to cancel class 10 examinations for their respective boards. However, the decision on conducting the Class 12 exams, in several states, is yet to be made.
Meanwhile, several states have announced tentative dates for the board exams.
We have collated a list of dates and latest updates of Class 10 and 12 board exams here:
ICSE
Class 10 Indian Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ICSE) has been cancelled and the Class 12 Indian School Certificate (ISC) board examination has been deferred, announced by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). This decision has been taken in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in the country.
Now, as per the latest update, the CICSE board has asked its affiliated schools to submit data including average of marks obtained by class 12 students in class 11 and during this session, according to an official letter.
The board had postponed class 12 exams which were scheduled from May 4 in light of the aggressive second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A large section of students and parents have been demanding cancellation of the exams but the board has not announced any decision yet.
CBSE
As a major relief to students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced that the Class 10 board examinations scheduled to be held from May 4 to June 7 had been cancelled.
The education ministry had asked the states to send in their suggestions for the CBSE class 12 examinations till Tuesday, May 25.
However, several states such as Delhi, Punjab, West Bengal have requested the Central government to vaccinate teachers and students before the exams are conducted.
The exams are proposed to be conducted between July 15 and August 26 and the result to be declared in September.
The Supreme Court will also hear on May 31 a plea seeking directions to cancel the class 12 exams of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) amidst the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad on Sunday said a decision on Class 12 board exams in the state, will be taken in a week's time. Class 10 exams in the state have been cancelled due to the sudden surge of COVID 19 in the state. The minister had earlier said that marks will be conferred to students based on ‘internal assessment’ or ‘objective criterion’.
The Maharashtra government on Friday announced the evaluation criteria for the state board students of Class 10, the examinations of which have been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
State School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said all students who were to appear for Class 10 (Secondary School Certificate- SSC) exams will be promoted, and marks will be given on the basis of the internal assessment of their performance this year and that of Class 9.
Addressing a press conference, she said the results will be declared by June end.
The Class 10 exams, scheduled in March this year, were cancelled due to the pandemic.
"It has been decided to clear all the students who were to appear for the board exams. The internal assessment of students will be done on the basis of 100 marks for each subject. Thirty marks will be for the written evaluation in Class 10; 20 marks for oral exam, practicals and homework, and 50 per cent marks will be Class 9 performance," she said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday addressed the state. During the speech, Thackeray demanded a uniform education policy in the country and stressed the need for revolutionary decisions in the field of education in view of the pandemic.
"Education policy should be uniform for the country, especially for examinations that impact the future of students like Class 12. We have decided to cancel the Class 10 exams and will soon take a decision on the Class 12 exams. But I would appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a call on having a uniform policy in the education sector," he said.
Uttar Pradesh
The UP Secondary Education Council on Saturday cancelled board examinations for class 10 students and proposed to take a 90-minute test of each subject for class 12 students in the second week of July, if feasible.
The detailed examinations scheduled for class 12 board examinations will be announced soon, UP's Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said The Council's decision to cancel class 10 examinations would benefit over 29.94 lakh students, allowing their promotion to the next class, he said in an official statement.
Owing to "the importance of class 12 examinations" for students' future, they have been proposed to be held from the second week of July, if circumstances allow, the minister added.
The UPSEC's decision is in line with the Central Board of Secondary Education, which too has cancelled the class 10 examination all over the country and abroad and at present, is mulling over the desirability and feasibility of taking class 12 examinations.
Andhra Pradesh
The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to postpone the tenth standard state board exams, on account of the Covid second wave.
The decision follows a review meeting on Thursday that chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had with education department officials.
With partial curfew imposed in the state since May 5 on account of the pandemic, and several schools functioning as Covid isolation centres, the state's education department had suggested the examinations, scheduled to begin from June 7, be deferred, officials said.
Despite pressure from several sections of society, and opposition parties, particularly Telugu Desam Party, to cancel the examinations and promote all students, the state government has remained firm on holding the board examinations.
During the High Court hearing, Thursday, on a petition seeking deferment of the state board exams till such a time when teachers are vaccinated, the state government submitted that it is postponing the exams and will decide upon the issue, after reviewing the situation in the month of July.
Tamil Nadu
Class 10 exams in the state have been cancelled and the students will be evaluated on basis of their internal assessment.
In a recent meeting with the union ministers and state education ministers to discuss the class 12 examinations, the Tamil Nadu state government has expressed its interest in conducting the TN Class 12 exams 2021 and said that the decision will be made based on the pandemic situation. The mode of conduction of the exams and the paper pattern has not been decided by the government yet.
Chhattisgarh
The Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) had announced the Class 10 result earlier this month, on their official website-results.cg.nic.in.The marks were awarded based on the evaluation criterion decided by the state
Exams for class 12 will be from June 1 to June 5 and students would be conducted in an 'exam from home' pattern, wherein students would be allowed to collect question papers from specified centres, take them home and submit the answer copies within five days, officials said.
Uttrakhand
Uttrakhand Board has cancelled Class 10 boards exams 2021 and has postponed class 12 exams 2021.
Jharkhand
Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) has postponed examinations of Classes 10 and 12. A meeting will be held on June 1 to review the situation, & further decisions will be taken according to the situation.
Bihar
The Class 10 and Class 12 exams were already conducted
West Bengal
West Bengal will hold the Class 12 board examinations in the last week of July, while the tests for Class 10 will take place in mid-August, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday.
The dates will be announced later by the respective boards, she said.
"We have decided to hold the secondary (Madhyamik) and higher secondary (Uccho Madhyamik) examinations... adhering to all COVID-19 safety protocols," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.
Both the board examinations will be held at home centres and only for compulsory subjects, she said, adding, a detailed announcement will be made by Education Minister Bratya Basu.
"Examinations will be held in their own schools.
Students will feel at home and not have to travel in buses and public vehicles amid this pandemic," the CM said.
She also said that timing of the examinations will be halved with more options for students while answering the tests.
"Question papers had already been set... In that case, a three-hour test will now be reduced to 1.5 hours and students will be given the option to answer five questions out of 10. This will help the boards and the examinees amid this tough situation," Banerjee said.
Over 12 lakh students are scheduled to sit for the Madhyamik Examinations, having seven compulsory subjects.
It will take seven days to complete the Class 10 exams, she said.
Over 8.5 lakh students are likely to appear for the higher secondary examinations with 15 compulsory subjects.
"Please take necessary measures in case adjustments are required. But, I do not want any extra pressure on the students," the chief minister said.
Banerjee said the decision to conduct the Class 12 examinations first was taken in view of students typically sitting for various entrance tests for higher studies.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (HPBOSE) has cancelled the class 10 board exams in the state. The students will be evaluated based on their internal assessment as well as scores from their pre-board, first and second term examinations. Class 12 board exams have been postponed till further notice
Odisha
Odisha’s Board of Secondary Education (BSE) has cancelled the Class 10th Board Exams 2021 due to the COVID-19 surge in the state. The state Education Minister said that the students will be evaluated based on ‘Objective criteria’ which is yet to be enumerated. Class 12 board exams have been postponed.
Gujarat
Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board(GSEB) class 10 board exams have been cancelled. The Class 12 board examination will be held in July 2021 per the existing system.
Assam
Assam Higher Secondary Education Council has said that the dates for the 10th and 12th board exam dates will be announced soon and the mode of evaluation of papers will be according to the CBSE pattern.
Rajasthan
State Education Minister and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara said that the Rajasthan Education Board is looking for a window to conduct Class 10 and 12 board examination as soon as the Covid graph flattens in the state.
"Cancellation of exams will be unfair for those students who have studied hard to get admission in their dream institutes.
"Also, there needs to be a proper criterion to evaluate the performance of students. So we are looking for a favourable situation to conduct the exams," he said speaking exclusively to IANS.
Students and parents across the state are insisting on the cancellation of exams. However, Dotasara has ruled out any such apprehension and said that even if the board cancels Class 10 exams and sends students to Class 11, the classes, for the time being, are not taking place.
"In such a condition, students shall demand cancellation of exams yet again and their base will be weakened. So once the infection rate goes down, we have plans to hold the exams," he said, adding, "As such, there is no such plan of cancellation of board exams".
Madhya Pradesh
The Class 10 board exams have been cancelled by the Madhya Pradesh School Education Department due to the rising COVID-19 cases and a decision with regard to the Class 12 board exams will be taken in the first week of June.
Goa
The state has decided to cancel the 10th Board Exams and said that the criterion for promotion will be announced shortly. Moreover, all unsuccessful candidates will be allowed to keep terms (ATKT) in Class XI. The decision with regard to the Class 12 board exams will be announced by May 25, 2021
Karnataka
The SSLC or Class 10 final Examination that was stated to begin from June 21 has been postponed in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases. A revised schedule will be decided after the second wave dies.
The state education minister, Suresh Kumar said that an appropriate decision on the Class 12 exams will be taken in some days after considering different aspects and suggestions from the centre.
Punjab
The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) have cancelled the Class 10 exams; the results of which have been declared on the official website. and have postponed the Class 12 exams.
Due to rising COVID-19 cases, the State Government is planning to conduct the Class 12 Board Exams 2021 for 3 Major Subjects. The exams are likely to be held in June
Haryana
Class 10 board exams were cancelled on 15th April in the state and the students are to be evaluated based on internal assessment
The Haryana Board of School Education (HBSE) said that the exams for HBSE Class 12 students will be held between June 15 and June 20.
Telangana
TS SSC Class 10 exams have been cancelled and TS Inter Class 12 exams have been postponed. Class 12 board exams in the state are likely to be held between mid-July to September.
(With inputs from agencies)
