CBSE Class 12 Board Exams 2021: Even as the Education Minister has urged the states to come up with detailed suggestions for Class 12 board exams, a number of student organisations across the country have urged the Union Ministry of Education to consider open book and take-home exams for students. In a letter to the education minister, the Student Islamic Organisation of India (SOI) on Tuesday urged Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ to consider alternate modes of conducting Class 12 board exams, including open book and take-home examinations.
SOI Writes to Education Minister: On Monday, the Student Islamic Organisation of India had urged the Union minister to cancel board exams and promote the students on the basis of internal assessments and Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) conducted by the schools. “If a complete cancellation of the board exams is not acceptable to most state governments, as was apparent in the recent inconclusive meeting of state government representatives on this very question, we would like to put forward alternative methods of conducting exams that may be considered,” the student organization said in the letter.
Giving further suggestions, the student organization said that if the CBSE board exams have to be conducted, it should be done on the basis of an open book and take-home exam. “Question papers and answer sheet can be made available to students at their homes, along with sufficient time to complete the exam and submit the answers back to the examination centre,” the SOI said.
ABVP Writes to Education Minister: Prior to this, the RSS-affiliated ABVP had written a letter to Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ to consider new modes of conducting Class 12 board exams, including open book mode and remote examinations using registered posts.
In the letter, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) urged the Union minister to consider the safety and security of students before holding exams in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. “In view of the prevailing situation, novel modes of conducting the pending exams like open book examinations, remote examinations using registered posts and exams for major subjects can be explored for conducting exams with physical distancing in coming July- August. A number of state governments are already adopting similar creative approaches,” it said.
States Favour Physical Conduct of Exams: As per latest updates, there is a broad consensus among states about conducting Class 12 board exams while few states have stressed on the need to vaccinate students and teachers before going ahead with the exercise.
The Ministry of Education had asked the states and union territories to submit detailed suggestions till Tuesday on the two proposals discussed in a high-level meeting on Sunday.
The CBSE has proposed conducting the exams between July 15-August 26 and the result to be declared in September. The board also proposed two options: conducting regular exams for 19 major subjects at notified centres or conducting shorter duration exams at respective schools where students are enrolled.
In the meantime, over 300 students have written a letter to Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana to quash the proposal regarding physical conduct of examination and provide for alternative assessment scheme similar to last year.
Vaccination or Cancellation: On the other hand, the Delhi government has reiterated its stand of “vaccination or cancellation” maintaining that if the exams are conducted after vaccinating students, the state is in favour of the option B, which includes conducting short duration exams in home schools of students.