Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 29

The dilemma facing students of Class XII over whether the board exams will be held or not is much worse than what Hamlet faced (to be or not to be) in the Shakespearean play.

Holed up inside their homes since March last year, without any outing with friends, recreation, a completely disrupted routine and above all an unending quandary over how their board examination and pending entrance examination would be, the Class XII batch of 2020-21 students are going through a lot so to say.

The prevailing situation has only made it more difficult to handle the mental stress that students are going through.

Kavya Sharma, a commerce student, said: “You just cannot imagine the level of boredom that has set in. I have stopped studying since the board examination got postponed. I just cannot pull on. It was getting beyond I could bear. I will restart only when the CBSE announces the new datesheet. My life only revolves around checking news updates on the CBSE’s latest planning or any likely change in the pattern now.”

Rishita Handa, a non-medical stream student, says: “I am in favour of cancellation of board examination like those of Class X and giving average marks on the basis of our practical examination, viva and assignments for these were our live performances. I am not for giving marks on the basis of unit tests, as these were held online and most students had indulged in cheating. I do not think holding examination in this situation will be possible anytime soon and soon a way out will have to be decided.”

Students said they were now impatiently waiting for the Supreme Court verdict on the plea for cancellation of the board examination, which is expected on May 31. If the court allows the conduct of exams, an announcement on finer modalities and other issues is likely to be made by the Union Education Minister on June 1.

Teachers feel the situation has led to a majority of students praying for cancellation. Having had no regular classes throughout the year, remaining completely independent with respect to studies and having had no regularity, the situation has led to a huge divide.

Dr Rashmi Vij, Principal, Police DAV Public School, believes: “Those students who have toiled very hard, became good self-learners and held online group discussions, are in favour of holding examination for they are striving for top colleges in the country. But those who adopted a laidback attitude and believed that the situation will not normalise are the ones who want cancellation of exams. I have been attending webinars of the CBSE and my guess is that it will be a 90-minute examination based on MCQs for all major subjects. Examination may be held in two rounds – one starting around July 15 and the second by August 1 – so as to give a second chance to any student affected due to Covid in the first round.”