The Parents Association has requested an alternate mode of assessment for Class 12 students in a letter to the Prime Minister, stating that physical exams for the upcoming 12th board exams will not be possible, and that further delays will only add to the tension
Though lakhs of students wait for CBSE and CISCE to make a final decision on the conduct of the class 12 board exam in 2021, the chances of the exam being deferred or scrapped are increasing as the call for the exam to be cancelled grows louder. The India Wide Parents Association (IWPA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting that the examinations be cancelled due to the country’s growing coronavirus cases. The Parents Association asked Prime Minister Modi to rethink his decision on the 12th Board Exams in 2021, suggesting that students be assessed based on their previous results and colleges, if necessary, conduct an aptitude test.
“Due to the alarming rate of growth of COVID 19 cases and deaths during the second wave, many students and parents from across India are concerned about the upcoming 12th Board Exams in physical mode in 2021. It will have a major negative effect on students’ mental health. There’s also the possibility that their whole year will be squandered. Students have been in Class 12 for more than a year and a half. It is past time for the government to pay attention to them and make a decision without further delay,” the letter states.
The CBSE had earlier this month postponed the class 12 board exams, which were set to begin on May 4, and said that a final decision would be made on June 1. While announcing the postponement, the board said, “At least 15 days notice will be given before the start of the exams.” Following suit, CISCE and a number of state boards deferred class 12 exams. However, in light of the alarming increase in coronavirus cases, students, parents, and some teachers are calling for the cancellation of offline tests. Students also asked the board and the ministry of education to promote them based on internal evaluations and pre-board tests.
Students took to Twitter to make their demands heard, using hashtags such as #modiji cancel12thboards, #CancelExamsSaveStudents, and #CancelBoardExams2021. According to sources in the Education Ministry, the exams could be scrapped as early as May 14. “Given the current situation, it’s possible that the tests will be scrapped entirely. CBSE will evaluate the situation and will most likely need to devise an alternative assessment scheme for Class 12 students.” Due to an increase in Covid-19 cases across the state, the Gujarat government had previously postponed the GSEB Class 12 board exams 2021 until further notice. The government announced in a statement that new exam dates for the postponed board exams would be announced shortly.
Similarly, the Madhya Pradesh board has postponed the exams, stating that they will be conducted once the situation improves. The official notification said, “New dates for the MP Board class 12 exam will be announced at least 20 days in advance.”
