CBSE schools oppose exams in February

CBSE has defended its proposal, saying that the new schedule will make experienced and good teachers available for evaluation in March.

New Delhi, June 22: Central Board of Secondary Education's proposal to advance the board exams from 2018, has drawn mixed reactions from educationists, Kendriya Vidyalay's and private schools.

While Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan says, it will be tough for students in snowed-out areas to take the test, private schools are pressing for a revamp in the system to bring about a shift that will be students friendly.

Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations is already following the February-March format.

However, addressing a press meet on Wednesday CBSE chairperson R K Chaturvedi had assured that concerns of all stakeholders would be addressed. A final call would be taken in consultation with all. But the advancement of exams by a month is necessary to provide error- free results.

Under the new guidelines, the CBSE has decided to hold exams from February 15 and finish it by end of March. The initiative also advances the date of declaration of results, which generally come around the third or fourth week of May. This will also ease the students to undertake admission process. The committee is planning two evaluators training sessions similar to teachers training each year starting December 2017

Officials from Kendriya Vidyalaya, which has several centres at snow-clad regions say that this move will affect the students in Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh whch will remain under snow till February end. Students there cannot take the exams. Getting question papers and answer scripts there would be an impossible task. After a three-month break, the classes resume only in February," opined an academician.

Officials said they would suggest an academic calendar in line with the proposed financial year -January to December. "Then the exams could be conducted in November-December," said an official, reports Times of India.

On the other hand, Private schools say that the present academic cycle is already on and the proposal will bring a complete havoc."In Delhi, most schools remain closed for half of January due to extreme cold. If the exams are to be conducted in February , students will stop coming to school in November itself, said the principal of a school in central Delhi.

Meanwhile, CBSE has defended its proposal, saying that the new schedule will make experienced and good teachers available for evaluation in March before the vacations start in April.

OneIndia News