In the wake of spike in COVID-19 cases, CBSE board exams for class 10th has been cancelled and class 12th has been postponed, informed Ministry of Education.
Results of Class 10th will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the Board. Class 12th exams will be held later and the situation will be reviewed on 1st June by the Board, added Ministry of Education. The decision was taken after a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said, "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." Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, Education Secretary, and other important officials earlier today to discuss the issue of CBSE board exams, said sources.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Prime Minister reiterated that the well being of the students has to be the top priority for the Government.
He also stated that the Centre would keep in mind the best interests of the students and ensure that their health is taken care of at the same time their academic interests are not harmed, it added.
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.
Several students, academicians, and politicians have demanded the cancellation of board exams amid growing COVID-19 numbers.
On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had urged the Centre to cancel the CBSE board examinations amid a rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the national capital.
Lakhs of students appear for CBSE Class 10 and 12 board exams every year.
India reported the highest-ever single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with over 1.84 lakh new cases and more than 1,000 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday.
