The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed petitions challenging the cancellation of the CBSE and CISCE Class 12 exams and the evaluation schemes framed by the boards.
Stating that the schemes made by the boards take into account concerns of all students, the SC said that there is no need to interfere and disposed of the writ petitions.
The apex court also said the arguments of the counsel for the Uttar Pradesh Parents Association, Lucknow, that the option to appear for physical exams instead of the internal assessment route should be given to students at the initial stage itself and not after the marks are declared as per assessment policy, cannot be accepted.
The top court also recorded the Centre’s submission that the University Grants Commission will be asked to start college admissions after the results of the optional exam (if conducted) are also released. This will take care of students who appear for the improvement exam.
Here is what the CBSE had on Monday told the SC about optional exams:
CBSE optional exams between 15 August and 15 Septemeber
In an affidavit, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had told the Supreme Court that it will conduct exams for students who are not satisfied with the marks given on the basis of internal assessment between 15 August and 15 September, subject to the COVID-19 pandemic situation being conducive.
“I further say that regarding the date before which the optional examination for the candidates who are not satisfied with their assessment with the policy, the examinations for such candidates shall be conducted any time between 15 August, 2021 to 15 September , 2021, subject to conducive situation,” said the affidavit filed by Sanyam Bhardwaj, controller of examinations in CBSE.
The CBSE said if the candidates are not satisfied with their result, CBSE will provide online facility for registration for the examination. The facility to register for written exam will be offered online at CBSE’s official website – cbse.nic.in.
Optional exam only for main subjects
“Examination will be conducted by the board only in the main subjects as and when conditions are conducive for holding the examinations. However, the marks obtained by a candidate in this examination will be treated as final for those who opt to take this examination,” the CBSE said in its affidavit.
The apex court had directed the CBSE to specify the timeline for releasing the results and the date before which the optional examination will be conducted, subject to the conducive situation and logistical constraints.
Compartment exams also between 15 Aug to 15 Sept
The CBSE affidavit had said that the examinations for private or second chance compartment candidates shall be conducted in such a manner so that they will fall within the assessment policy for the academic year 2019-2020 as approved by this the top court last year and, their results shall be declared in accordance with the said assessment policy. Their examinations shall also be conducted anytime between 15 August, 2021 to 15 September, 2021, subject to a conducive situation, the affidavit said.
CISCE says improvement exam before 1 September
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) too has said that its students can take improvement examinations which may commence before 1 September, subject to the situation remaining conducive.
The CISCE in its affidavit said, “The CISCE will endeavour to hold the improvement examinations as expeditiously as possible after the declaration of the results. Subject to the situation remaining conducive and stable and declaration of results in a timely fashion, the improvement examinations should commence before September 1, 2021.”
Both the court have told the top court that as per the scheme the results for Class XII Board Examination 2021 shall be declared by 31 July.
The CBSE and CISCE also told the court that they have amended their respective evaluation schemes for assessing Class 12 students and incorporated a dispute resolution mechanism for the candidates who have any objections with regard to the results.
According to the CBSE’s evaluation scheme, the theory paper evaluation formula is: 30 percent weightage will be given to Class 10 marks, 30 percentage weightage to Class 11 marks and 40 percent weightage to Class 12 marks obtained in unit test/mid-term/pre-board exams.
The board has decided to include marks of practical/internal assessment on an actual basis as uploaded by the school on the CBSE portal.
The CBSE has launched an online platform on which schools are to upload the marks obtained by their students.
With inputs from PTI