NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday postponed Class 12 board exams and cancelled Class 10 board exams due to the persisting Covid-19 situation in the country.
With more than 1.8 lakh daily Covid-19 cases and more than a thousand daily deaths, India has been reeling under the second wave of Covid-19 which had become a major point of concern for the authorities ahead of the upcoming exam season.
Stakeholders and several political leaders had urged the CBSE to reschedule exams at various levels or conduct these remotely.
Coronavirus live updates: CBSE postpones Class 12 board exams, cancels Class 10 board exams
Here are the key points:* The board exams for Class 12 which were scheduled to be held from May 4 to June 14 have been postponed.
* Class 12 exams will be held only after the board reviews the situation on June 1.
* A notice of at least 15 days will be given before the start of Class 12 board examinations. Details will be shared subsequently.
* The board exams for Class 10 to be held from May 4 to June 14 have been cancelled.
* The results of the Class 10 board will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the CBSE.
* Any candidate who is not satisfied with the marks allocated to him/her on this basis will be given an opportunity to sit in an exam as and when the conditions are conducive to hold the exams,
PM Modi chairs high-level meetingThe decision came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with the education ministry and CBSE officials to review the examinations to be held at various levels.
At the meeting, officials gave an overview to the Prime Minister of Class 10 and 12 board exams to be held from next month.
PM Modi reiterated that the well being of the students has to be the top priority for the government, said the Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in a tweet.
"The Centre would keep in mind the best interests of the students and ensure that their health is taken care of at the same time their academic interests are not harmed," said Pokhriyal quoting the PM.
In addition to the Union education minister, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, cabinet secretary, school and higher education secretaries and other top officials also attended the meeting.