CBSE Class 12 exams 2021: SC adjourns plea to Thursday after Centre seeks time

New Delhi, May 31: The Centre has sought time until Wednesday to reply to the Supreme Court on a plea that sought cancellation of the CBSE Class 12 exams 2021.

Attorney General K K Venugopal appearing for the Centre sought time till Wednesday to come back with a decision on cancelling the Class 12 exams. The court adjourned hearing on the matter to Thursday while observing that a similar situation last year prompted internal marking instead.

A plea was filed before the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre to cancel the class 12 exams in view of surge in COVID-19 cases. The petition filed by an advocate said the results of Class 12 students be declared based on 'objective methodology' within a specified time frame.

"Conducting Class 12 board examination is not possible because of surging COVID-19 cases. Even online or offline examinations not feasible because of an unprecedented pandemic. Delay in the declaration of Class 12 results will hamper students taking admission in foreign universities', the petition said.

The petition filed by lawyer Mamta Sharma has made the Centre, Central Board of Secondary Education and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination as parties in the case. The plea contended that due to the unprecedented health emergency and surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, it is not possible to conduct examination and any further delay would cause irreparable loss to the future of students.