#Cancelboardexam: Students push for cancellation of 12th Board Exams; Pokhriyal to meet all education secretaries

DELHI: As the nation witnesses a constant rise in COVID-19 cases across the country, lakhs of students and their parents demand the cancellation of the CBSE Class 12 board exam 2021. Marks should be awarded on the basis of internal assessment, say students on Twitter using #cancelboardexam.

With 3.43 lakh people testing positive for coronavirus in a day, India's COVID-19 tally of cases climbed to 2,40,46,809, while the death toll rose to 2,62,317 with 4,000 fresh fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

CBSE Board Exams:

Highlighting the risk involved in offline examinations, advocate Mamta Sharma had filed a plea in the Supreme Court on May 14 seeking cancellation of Class 12 board exams conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).

The petition seeks an "objective methodology" instead of exams to declare the results of Class 12 students. It said the delay in Class 12 exams will also affect the university admission process.

"Conducting Class 12 board examination is not possible because of surging COVID-19 cases. Even online or offline examination not feasible because of an unprecedented pandemic. Delay in the declaration of Class 12 results will hamper students taking admission in foreign universities. CBSE and CISCE must devise an objective methodology to declare the results within the specified time otherwise it will affect around 12 lakh students", the petition reads.

CBSE on Friday has also clarified it is yet to take any decision for Class 12 students. The board said any decision, when taken, will be communicated officially.

"It is clarified that no such decision has been taken regarding CBSE class 12 examinations as being speculated in certain sections of the media. Any decision taken in this matter will be officially communicated to the Public," the CBSE said.

Here's what CBSE students are saying:

CBSE had earlier said that a decision for Class 12 students will be taken in June.

Meanwhile, Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank will hold a virtual meeting with education secretaries of all states on 17 May to review the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the education sector.

The education minister will review the promotion of online education and implementation of the New Education Policy (NEP), reported news agency ANI.

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