The Centre asked state governments to send by 25 May detailed suggestions regarding protocols to conduct CBSE Class 12 exams after the high-level meet chaired by Rajnath Singh ended inconclusively on Sunday.
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal vowed that the final decision would be taken at the earliest.
Terming the meeting as “extremely fruitful”, Pokhriyal said that the Centre had received valuable inputs from other stakeholders like state chief secretaries and education ministers.
I thank all the Hon’ble Chief Ministers, Education Ministers, and officers associated with the world’s largest education system for participating in the high-level meeting chaired by Hon’ble Minister of Defence Shri @rajnathsingh Ji. pic.twitter.com/i4e8p5lH90
— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) May 23, 2021
The virtual meeting was also attended by by Union Ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal, Smriti Irani, and Prakash Javadekar and state-level authorities.
While reports said that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is likely to announce the dates for the Class 12 exam on 1 June, India Today reported that the feedback received in Sunday’s meeting will be relayed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that the “higher-ups will take a call on how to conduct the exam”.
In a series of tweets after the meeting ended on Sunday evening, Pokhriyal sought to allay the fears and anger of Class 12 students who have been appealing to the government to cancel the exams in view of the COVID-19 situation.
Pokhriyal reiterated that the safety of the students and teachers is of “supreme importance”, and said, “I’m confident we will be able to arrive at an informed, collaborative decision regarding the Class 12th board exams and remove the uncertainty among student’s and parent’s minds by informing them of our final decision at the earliest.”
On Sunday morning, reports said that the ministers are likely to consider two plans: holding the exams for selected subjects or holding the exams for a shorter duration.
State govts urge Centre to consider cancelling CBSE Class 12 exams
The Delhi and Maharashtra governments issued statements after the meeting, urging the Union government to cancel the pending exams as the country is still registering a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia said, “For class 12th exams, one proposal by the Centre is to conduct exams as it is at exam centres, but with selective subjects, while another proposal is to change exam pattern and have them conducted at schools with a duration of 1.5 hours.”
“Given that the third COVID wave is likely to impact students, Delhi government is not in favour of conducting exams in any form. We have proposed to conduct Class 12 exams like class 10, on the basis of historical references. We have conveyed the same to the Centre,” Sisodia, who is also the Delhi deputy chief minister, said.
Addressing an important Press Conference | LIVE https://t.co/9c898PLhqp
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) May 23, 2021
Similarly, Maharashtra education minister Varsha Gaikwad tweeted an extensive list of suggestions to the Centre regarding the school and college systems.
In the meeting convened by the Centre regarding conduct of class 12th #CBSE exams, I raised the following points.. (Thread)#BoardExams pic.twitter.com/HhBlDNrzgW
— Varsha Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) May 23, 2021
She began by saying, “Keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic situation and the projection that children are vulnerable to new strains of coronavirus, option of a “NON-EXAMINATION ROUTE” for class 12th students should be actively examined.”
She added:
Our focus should now be in evolving a UNIFORM ASSESSMENT policy, VACCINATION of all teachers & eligible students, &
safe resumption of schools, colleges campuses for the next academic year.
— Varsha Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) May 23, 2021
On the other hand, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant was quoted by ANI as saying that the decision on whether to conduct the Class 12 exams in the state will be taken in the next two days.
“Class 10 exams of Goa Board stand cancelled, due to prevailing COVID19 situation in the state. Class 10 students to be promoted to next class based on marks obtained in internal assessment. Decision on Class 12 exams to be taken in the next two days,” he said.
With inputs from PTI