Class 12 Board Exams: PM Modi to chair crucial meet today

New Delhi, June 01: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an important meeting regarding Class 12 Board Examinations today evening. The prime minister will be briefed on all possible options as a result of the extensive discussions with all states and other stakeholder.

Keeping in mind the COVID-19 situation, the CBSE and CISCE are contemplating various options about the pending class 12 board exams, including cancellation and adopting alternative assessment route or going ahead with the exams in truncated format.

While majority states have favoured the option proposed by the CBSE about shorter duration exams for major subjects in August, the COVID-19 situation is still being reviewed and cancellation of exams and marking students on basis of previous exams is still an option.

Meanwhile, the CICSE board has asked its affiliated schools to submit average of marks obtained by class 12 students in class 11 and during this session.

While there is no clarity from board whether the exercise hints at possible cancellation of exams, schools have already started working to meet the June 7 deadline set by the board.

The Ministry of Education, however, maintained that "nothing has been finalised yet and a final decision will be announced by June 1. The minister has already stressed that safety of students is a priority but these exams are crucial too".

Amid continuing demands for cancellation of exams by a large section of students and parents, the ministry had called a high-level meeting last Sunday to deliberate on the issue which was also attended by state education ministers and education secretaries.

The CBSE had proposed two options -- conducting regular exams for only major subjects at notified centres or holding shorter-duration exams at the school where a student is enrolled.

The proposed timeline for conducting the exams was between July 15 to August 26 and declaring the results in September.

Majority states opted for the second option which included conducting 90 minutes exams for major subjects at student's home schools.

Few states also insisted on vaccinating students before going ahead with the exams.

The CICSE which has been completely silent so far about its plan for the class 12 exams, sent out a letter to its affiliated schools on May 27 to submit average of marks obtained by class 12 students in class 11 and during this session.

The government has informed the Supreme Court, which is hearing a plea seeking the exam''s cancellation, it will take a final decision by June 3.