Delhi, TN, Maharashtra Questioned Feasibility, Says CBSE as it Cancels Class 10, 12 Board Exams

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) factored in the responses of various states before deciding to cancel the board exams for Class 10 and 12 scheduled in July this year to ensure the well-being and safety of children and their families.

The Competent Committee of the CBSE formed the opinion that in view of changed circumstances and the issues as highlighted above, it was not advisable to conduct the examination from July 1 to 15 across the country as "health, safety and security of children is the first priority."

Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia recently wrote to Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank that conducting board exams was not feasible keeping the Covid-19 situation in mind. "The examinations of 29 subjects proposed to be conducted in July should not be conducted at all," he said.

Other states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha also conveyed their inability to conduct examinations.

In response to Supreme Court's question on safety of conducting the exams in July, the board informed that the competent committee held deliberate discussions with a number of states that have "communicated that the conduct of exams during this period will not be feasible".

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palaniswami has written to the HRD Minister stating that "in the welfare of students/teachers postpone the examination till the situation becomes conducive for the conduct of examinations," the board said.

Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra has communicated that "considering the challenges, the Hon. Minister of the School Education Department has indicated that the Government of Maharashtra will not be in a position to grant the required permission for the conduct of the remaining CBSE Examinations in July 2020, for all the school students appearing in the state of Maharashtra," the board added.

The committee was of the view that exams cannot be carried out in a piecemeal manner and have to be conducted uniformly across the country. The board informed that a stress-free and conducive environment for the students, parents and schools was necessary to conduct the exams.