The West Bengal government on Monday decided to cancel the Class X ( Secondary) and Class XII ( Higher Secondary) Board examinations for the year 2021.
“This year no secondary of higher secondary examinations will be conducted. The Education Secretary, members of Higher Secondary Council and Madhyamik Board will decide on the assessment procedure and make an announcement within seven days,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, adding that the decision has been taken in the interest of students.
She said that all States including the Centre had decided against holding any examination.
Earlier the State government had decided to hold Class X board examination in the second week of August and Class XII examination towards the end of July. However, after the Union government decided not to conduct Central Board of Secondary Education ( CBSE) exams the State government set up an expert committee to review the decision. The expert committee has also sought suggestions from general public on the issue.
“The expert committee has also suggested not to hold examinations. They had got suggestions from about 35,000 people,” the Chief Minister said. About 12 lakh students have enrolled to appear for the Class X board examination this year and about eight lakh students were scheduled to appear in the Class XII board examination.
Because of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, schools in the State have largely remained closed. Members of expert committee said unlike central boards the digital divide is much more among the students in the State-run schools, therefore the best decision was not to hold examinations.
COVID infections, deaths drop
Meanwhile, the number of new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours dropped to 5,887 and the deaths due to the virus in West Bengal came down to 103.
The percentage of positive cases out of samples tested is 11.08% in the State. The State is under COVID-19 restrictions till June 15 where public transport remains suspended. North 24 Parganas district remains worst affected district with about 1181 infections and 32 deaths.