Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday, April 9, 2021, said it was irresponsible on the part of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to hold board exams under the prevailing circumstances and asked it to either reschedule or cancel them.
In a series of tweets, she said exam pressure in addition to the pandemic will impact mental health of the students and noted that the education system should start reflecting sensitivity and compassion towards children.
In December 2020, the CBSE had announced the schedule, by which exams will start by May 4.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi even held pariksha pe charcha (discussion on exams) via video conferencing to motivate the children who are taking this year’s X and XII board exams.
“It is downright irresponsible of boards like the CBSE to force students to sit for exams under the prevailing circumstances. Board exams should either be cancelled, rescheduled or arranged in a manner that does not require the physical presence of children at crowded exam centres,” Ms. Vadra said.
“While corona is ravaging our country again, the added pressure of exams is bound to affect the mental health of children. Our education system needs to drastically alter its attitude and start reflecting sensitivity and compassion towards children rather than just talk about at their conclaves and conferences,” she added.