Centre cancels Class XII CBSE board exam, CISCE follows suit

Centre cancels Class XII CBSE board exam, CISCE follows suit

Assessment Likely On Tests Through The Yr

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:02.06.2021

Times of India Chennai Edition 

Ending the uncertainty over the Class XII CBSE boards, the Centre on Tuesday decided to cancel the examination due to the Covid-19 situation across the country after deliberations at a high-level review meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decision came as a relief to lakhs of students, parents and teachers. The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private board that conducts the Class XII ISC exams, followed suit.

An official release said the Prime Minister held that the health and safety of students is of utmost importance and there would be no compromise on it. It was necessary to end anxiety among students, parents and teachers, the PM had said.

The government had earlier in April cancelled the CBSE Class X exams. According to CBSE sources, Class XII results will reflect the “well-defined objective criteria” developed by the board for Class X where assessment will be done based on the marks scored by a student in the different tests and exams conducted during the year. “Among the options being worked out is to whether the assessment should be based on performances in the final exams of the previous three classes (IX, X, XI) or give a certain weightage to Class X board results and internal assessments of Class XII. The modalities will be announced in a couple of days,” said a senior official of the CBSE.

“The government of India has decided to cancel the Class XII CBSE board exams. After extensive consultations, we have taken a decision that is student-friendly, one that safeguards the health as well as the future of our youth,” the PM tweeted.

CBSE yet to finalise alternate assessment criteria for board exams

Around 21.5 lakh registered for the Class X exams while 14 lakh candidates registered for those of Class XII. Meanwhile, CISCE secretary Gerry Arathoon said: “The exams have been cancelled. The alternative assessment criteria will be announced soon.”

TOI first reported on May 14 about the possibility of Class XII exams being cancelled due to the pandemic and on May 30 that results may be based on performances in previous classes and during the year leading to the board exams.

While the alternate assessment criteria for the exams has not been finalised by the board yet, CBSE sources said that it is expected to be on similar lines as announced for Class X which took into account the performance of the student in various tests and exams through the year. It was also decided in the meeting that in case some students want to take the exams, such an option would be provided to them as and when it is possible.

Welcoming the decision, Ashok Pandey, director, Ahlcon Group of Schools, said: “Under the given circumstances, centre-based examinations were no longer an option. Considering the trauma the children had undergone and the threat of the virus and no vaccination for students doesn’t inspire confidence among the people. This is a well-considered decision by the government and I am happy that the PM has asked for a time-bound transparent and equitable assessment plan.”