Covid-19: Odisha may go CBSE way, scrap class XII test

BHUBANESWAR: A day after the CBSE Class XII examination was scrapped, the Odisha government is planning to toe the Centre line as far as Plus Two exams are concerned. Sources in the School and Mass Education department told The New Indian Express that the department had already given its proposal for cancellation of the exams. However, the State government was waiting for CBSE’s move.

“The State decision on Plus II final year exams conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) may come anytime soon,” said a senior official following a meeting regarding the exams on Wednesday. As many as 3.5 lakh students of different streams are scheduled to appear for the Plus II exams which have been put on hold in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The State government had cancelled the matriculation examination and announced an alternative assessment on the lines of CBSE. 

Members of the School and College Lecturers and Employees Association, however, said that cancellation of exams would not do justice to the students. Unlike CBSE, the State government should wait till the situation improves and conduct the exams, they opined.

“Students had already got promotion to second year in 2020 without exams due to Covid-19. Another promotion without exams will put their career at stake,” said association secretary Golak Nayak.

Nayak asked on what basis the students’ performance would be assessed when the higher secondary schools had failed to conduct practical exams due to Covid restrictions.

“If states like Kerala and Chhattisgarh can decide to go ahead with the exams, the Odisha government should also do it,” Nayak said.