The central government on Wednesday announced cancellation of CBSE board exams for Class 10 and postponed Class 12 exams which were scheduled for May-June in the wake of Coronavirus crisis, officials said.The revised dates will be announced after June 1, officials said.The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The meeting was attended by Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', education secretary and other officials.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Union education ministry said, "Looking to the present situation of the pandemic and school closures, and also taking in account the safety and well-being of the students, it is decided as follows. The Board Exams for Class 12 to be held from May 4th to June, 14th, 2021 are hereby postponed. These exams will be held hereafter."The situation will be reviewed on 1st June 2021 by the Board, and details will be shared subsequently, the official statement read.A notice of at least 15 days will be given before the start of the examinations, the statement added.For Class 10, officials have decided to promote the students on basis of internal assessment.
"The results of Class Xth Board will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the Board. Any candidate who is not satisfied with the marks allocated to him/her on this basis will be given an opportunity to sit in an exam as and when the conditions are conducive to hold the exams," the statement added.Many chief ministers had written to PM Modi seeking postponement of the Class 10 and 12 board exams in the wake of rising number of Covid-19 cases. The letter request came from Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.In his letter to Pokhriyal, Singh pointed to the prevailing Covid-19 situation and stressed that "it would only be appropriate that a decision is taken forthwith to postpone the Class 10 and 12 Board examinations". Gripped by the second wave of coronavirus which has been termed as worsening and highly infectious by the experts, India on Wednesday recorded the highest-single day jump of 184,372 fresh cases of the Covid-19, which took the country’s total infection tally past 13.87 million, according to the latest figures released by the Union ministry of health and family welfare.