CBSE Class 12 exam 2020: Decision on conducting remaining exams on Thursday

New Delhi, June 23: The CBSE has told the Supreme Court that a decision on when to conduct the remaining Class 12 board exams would be taken on Thursday.

The board last week told the court it will "very shortly" take a decision, after a plea by a group of parents sought quashing of the notification for conducting the remaining class 10 and 12 exams from July 1 to 15 and demanded that the students be awarded marks based on an internal assessment or in line with marks allotted for practical exams.

The parents have said in the plea that students could be exposed to COVID-19 infection if they appear for exams amid an increase in the number of coronavirus cases. They have cited that the CBSE has cancelled the examinations of Class 10 and 12 for its around 250 schools situated abroad and the board has decided to award marks on the basis of either practical exams or an internal assessment because of the pandemic.

The CBSE has decided the fresh schedule of board exams from July 1-15 to ensure that they are completed before competitive examinations. While engineering entrance exam JEE-Mains is scheduled from July 18-23, medical entrance exam NEET is to be held on July 26.

"A decision about the two exams will also be taken in accordance with the decision on board exams," the official said. The CICSE board has already announced that class 10 and 12 students can choose to not appear for pending board exams and be marked as per their performance in pre-board exams or internal assessment.

The board had submitted the proposal before the Bombay High Court last week in response to a petition filed by a parent seeking directions to the authorities to cancel exams in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Universities and schools across the country have been shut since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.