No exam till class 8? Not binding on our online tests, say CBSE schools

No exam till class 8? Not binding on our online tests, say CBSE schools

‘Following Central Board’s Guidelines, Going Ahead With Internal Exams’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:  09.12.2020 

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced on December 4 that there won’t be any examination up to class 8. Is it binding on all schools, or just those affilitated to the state board?

Private schools affiliated to CBSE are preparing for online exams for all the classes. “CBSE schools are not bound by the state government’s decision, but follow CBSE guidelines. The state government may decide that they will take only tuition fees during the lockdown period. They may also decide to keep the schools closed, but they can’t stop us from taking online exams. They may decide this for government schools, but not unaided private schools affiliated to CBSE,” said Vini Raj Modi, vice-president of Association of Unaided Private Schools of MP.

Pointing out that there were online half-yearly exams in both private and government schools, he questioned why final exams cannot be held in the same mode if schools remain closed during the remainder of this academic session.

Modi said that there is a big difference between the class 5 and class 8 exams organised in the CBSE schools and those affiliated to MP Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE). The CBSE exams of the two classes are internal exams while MPBSE exams of class 5 and 8 are board exams.

Shantanu Sharma, who runs a private school, Sanskar Bharti Vidya Peeth, at Katara Hills, said: “The chief minister has announced that students of up to class 8 would be evaluated on the basis of project work, but I don’t think the state government has any objection if schools organise online exams for their students, much in the same way as they have been doing throughout the year.”

The proprietor of another private school blamed the “adhocism” of the state government for the confusion prevalent among schools, students and parents.”The state government didn’t allow the schools to open, creating an impression among the students that there would either be general promotion this year or they will be promoted to the next class based on their performance in internal tests or their past performance in the previous classes. Now, they are saying there would be exams, from class 9 to class 12. They allowed schools to charge tuition fees and asked for online teaching. Now, the schools logically want to see how well the students have adapted to online teaching. What is wrong in it?”

Pankaj Sharma, whose two daughters study in Delhi Public School in class 4 and 7, said: “There would be online exams of not only students of class 5 and 8, but all the classes.”

‘Exam or no exam, nobody will fail’

When asked whether there would be exams of classes of up to 8th in private schools, district education officer, Nitin Saxena, said, “You call it exams or project work or anything, but students will not be let go without exams — whether in private schools or government schools. The prospect of facing exams keeps students engaged in studies. They will be evaluated based on the project work if that’s the decision if a school takes exams in the name of project work. Let there be exams or no exams, nobody will fail in his class, that’s the crux of the matter.”