The Central government on Tuesday decided to cancel the CBSE Class XII board exams amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic across the country.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which it was decided that the CBSE will take steps to compile the results of Class XII students as per well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner.
With the decision coming amid a high caseload of COVID-19 cases in several states and continuing health-related apprehensions about the future, PM Modi said the health and safety of students are of utmost importance, and there would be no compromise on this aspect.
Anxiety among students, parents and teachers must be put to an end, and students should not be forced to appear for exams in such a stressful situation, he said.
Meanwhile, 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.
