CBSE Class 12 Exam 2021: Decision on exam date and format unlikely today
New Delhi, June 01: The Central government is unlikely to take final call on whether to conduct CBSE Class 12 Exam 2021 or not today. There is a growing demand for cancellation of exams amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Union Education Minister has maintained that a final decision will be announced by 1 June. The minister has already stressed that safety of students is a priority but these exams are crucial too".
Meanwhile, Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank" was admitted to the AIIMS here on Tuesday morning due to post-Covid complications. He was taken to the hospital around 11:30 am and is admitted in a private ward.
On Monday, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it will decide in the next two days whether or not to hold the Class 12 board exams amid the pandemic.
"The government will take a final decision within the next two days. We are hoping that your lordships will give us time till Thursday (June 3) so that we can come back with the final decision", Attorney General K K Venugopal told a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari.
Reportedly, cancellation of exams, adoption of an alternative assessment route and going ahead with the exams in a truncated format are on cards.
While majority states have favoured the option proposed by the CBSE about shorter duration exams for major subjects in August, the Covid-19 situation is still being reviewed and cancellation of exams and marking students on basis of previous exams is still an option.
Two options proposed by CBSE
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has proposed two options for conducting the board examinations amid the devastating second wave of coronavirus pandemic.
Option 1: The first option proposed was conducting exams at designated centres for 19 major subjects. For minor subjects assessment can be based on performance in major subjects. This can be done if three months of time period is clearly and safely available to the board.
August could be a likely month for holding the exams and the whole process is likely to go on till September end.
Option 2: The exams can be conducted twice by the board depending upon the conducive situation. If a student is not able to appear due to any COVID related matter, he or she will be provided another opportunity to sit for exams.
The exams will be of 90 minutes duration instead of three hours and will be conducted in same schools where students are enrolled. The questions will be objective and very short answer type. Students will have to appear in one language and three elective subjects.
The tentative timeline for this option is the first phase of exams from July 15 to August 1 and the second phase from August 8-26. Exams are proposed to be conducted on Sundays also.