SC asks CBSE to consider whether it could scrap remaining papers in view of Covid-19

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:18.06.2020

In view of the rising number of Covid-19 infections and to protect students from getting exposed to the virus, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked CBSE to consider whether it could scrap the remaining papers of Board examinations and grant marks on the basis of internal assessment.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna asked CBSE to hold consultations and take a call on the issue after the Board informed the court that it was in the process of taking a decision on the issue. The court listed the next hearing for June 23.

The CBSE had earlier announced that the remaining papers of the Board exams would be held during July 1-15.

After the decision, a group of four parents approached the court. The petition, filed through advocate Rishi Malhotra, pleaded the court to direct CBSE to scrap the remaining papers and give marks to students on the basis of internal assessment. It said students and their parents would be exposed to the pandemic if they come out of homes for the examination to be conducted at over 15,000 centres across the country.

“CBSE’s notification for holding the remaining examination is discriminatory and arbitrary and that too in the month of July when as per AIIMS data, the Covid-19 pandemic would be at its peak.... As done by CBSE in its other 250 schools abroad and various state boards, the examination scheduled to be conducted in July should be cancelled and marks allotted on the basis of internal assessment,” the petition said.

“CBSE cancelled the examinations of Class X and XII for its 250 odd schools which are situated abroad and has adopted criteria in awarding marks on the basis of either practical exams conducted or internal assessment marks. It is highly regretful that the respondents herein have no genuine concern about putting the lives at peril of all students and have no explanation whatsoever in insisting upon holding the said examination in India,” it said.

Present methodology for alternative grading: HC to CISCE

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Wednesday told Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) to present its methodology for alternative grading for classes X and XII students who opt not to physically appear for exams in pending papers.

The methodology has to be placed before court on June 22, the deadline set earlier by the board. Once approved, students can exercise their option till June 24, the court indicated.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice S S Shinde heard a PIL by advocate Arvind Tiwari, a parent of a class X student, against exams in July. On June 14, the board said students can take the exams or have results based on pre-board exams and results of board exams in subjects they had written. Advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, said the state was opposed in principle to exams being held, but it will take a call depending on number of students who opt to physically take it. Senior advocate Darius Khambata, for the board, said if the state does not allow exams it will bow to the decision. He said if the state was reopening schools in July, it must be confident of students’ safety. Khambata said many students want to appear for exams, and strict safety measures will be followed for handling papers which are in schools for three months. He said it was important to get a decision from parents.

Tiwari said it was not much of a choice when methodology for gradation was not known. Advocate Rahul Tanwani, for an intervenor parent, said consent to any choice had to be an informed consent. Advocate Karl Tamboly, for other intervenor parents, said preliminary exams suffer from vagaries as every school has its own degree of difficulty in setting prelims and marking them. Khambata said pre-board data for five years will be called for from schools and compared with board results to formulate methodology. TNN