CBSE will take legal action against the rumour-mongers. Representational image/ file

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued an advisory for ‘rumour-mongers’ who are circulating misinformation, fake news on the social media. “There are some unscrupulous elements circulating fake news in form of lookalike circulars about CBSE board exams, evaluation, pass criteria through various social media groups with the sole purpose of misleading innocent students and parents,” CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi said.

The board in its circular stated that strict action will be taken against those spreading fake news. “The board has in the recent past taken strict action against rumormongers by filing FIRs against individuals, links under IT act, it will be again compelled to trace the sources and book these miscreants under law,” the circular read.

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The board has requested media to behave responsibly, and not to follow such rumours. Recently, a circular was circulated across social media platforms claiming that the board exams will begin from April 22. Later, the board had denied any such claims. The dates of the cancelled board exams is yet to be announced.

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Meanwhile, as schools were suspended due to lockdown, the CBSE has asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to develop an alternative academic calendar for classes 1 to 12. The chairman in her communique to the principal stated that the calendar is being developed to attain learning outcomes in a joyful manner.