Class 12 board exams

NEW DELHI: Keeping in mind the COVID-19 situation, the CBSE and CISCE are contemplating various options about the pending class 12 board exams, including cancellation and adopting alternative assessment route or going ahead with the exams in truncated format, according to sources.

“While majority states have favoured the option proposed by the CBSE about shorter duration exams for major subjects in August, the COVID-19 situation is still being reviewed and cancellation of exams and marking students on basis of previous exams is still an option,” a source said.

Meanwhile, the CICSE board has asked its affiliated schools to submit average of marks obtained by class 12 students in class 11 and during this session.

While there is no clarity from board whether the exercise hints at possible cancellation of exams, schools have already started working to meet the June 7 deadline set by the board.

The Ministry of Education, however, maintained that “nothing has been finalised yet and a final decision will be announced by June 1. The minister has already stressed that safety of students is a priority but these exams are crucial too”.

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.

“Be optimistic. May be by Monday (May 31), some resolution will be there,” a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari told the petitioner in a hearing on Friday.