CBSE suggested to conduct class 12 exam between July 15 to August 26
CBSE Class 12 exam 2021: A final decision whether the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 exam will be conducted this year is likely to be taken by June 1. While a few states have said that they are ready to hold exam, several other states like Delhi, West Bengal have proposed to vaccinate students before before the exams.
India TV reached to students, parents, teachers and educationists to assess their mood.
CBSE Class 12 exam 2021: Students, teachers' reactions on board exam
Class 12 student Aaryan Prothi of The Indian School wants the board exams to be conducted but only after vaccination. "It doesn't matter whether the exam is of 90 minutes or 3 hours because if we are vaccinated, we will not have to worry about infection. Therefore, exams must be conducted but not after vaccination," Aaryan said.
Deeksha Nair of Kendriya Vidyalaya school, South Delhi demands the exam to get cancelled as the situation is not conducive enough for the exam. Deeksha said that everyone is talking about the method of conducting exam, students safety, but no one is thinking about students' mental challenge, and how they will prepare for the exam.
She argued, "How students can give exam without preparation. Is the situation favours for exam preparation? Without class, tuition, how a student can prepare only through a virtual medium? Lots of students don't have access to gadgets, laptops, how they will prepare for their subjects? And if we get poor marks, who will be responsible for?" Deeksha will not appear for the class 12 exam, if the board exam be conducted as suggested in mid-July. "I am not prepared to take the exam, will re-appear if the exam again held later this year or will appear next year," the science stream student said.
Deeksha's parents are not willing to take risks by sending their only girl child to take exam. "Even after vaccination, people after getting infected with Covid-19. She is just 16, has her entire life to make career."
The principal of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Sector-8, Rohini, Awadhesh Jha suggested an alternative assessment process for evaluating class 12 students, without conducting exam during pandemic. "We can easily assess them on the basis of their internal assessment, practicals and preboards etc. Otherwise, CBSE can give a choice to the students to appear for the exams or go in for pre boards and internal assessment marks," the principal said.
However, if the exam be conducted, the students should get the opportunity to take their exam from home centres, and the exam should be held for a shorter duration (90 minutes) on any three subjects/ papers of their choice, he said.
DAV Public School, Pushpanjali Enclave principal Rashmi Raj Biswal favoured conducting the exam, as the score determines their future career prospects. "Board should go ahead with offline mode of exams with strict Covid safety protocols in place, the question paper style and pattern could be objective-based (evaluation becomes less time consuming), with shorter time duration and for all subjects and not selected ones. "
The principal suggested that board should give options to students to take exams either in offline or online mode. "The option to select an offline or online mode should rest with students keeping in consideration their conditions and feasibility to appear for the same. Internal assessments/ projected scores of the school in the past session should be incorporated in the final results as per a criterion designed by CBSE," she said.
Minal Anand, the founder of tutoring platform GuruQ thinks that the conducting board exam in this pandemic can yet act as another super spreader of Covid-19 with lakhs participating including students, teachers, other stakeholders. "In my opinion, the board exams should be cancelled given the current situation of the pandemic. Schools should use an aggregate of the entire year to determine each student's final scores," Minal said.
Regarding vaccination of exam takers, Minal said that those below 18 are not yet allowed to be vaccinated in India so unless that ruling is changed, board exams should likely be cancelled.
Minakshi Das, former controller of Odisha Board suggested to conduct offline exam, as the scores determine the carrer prospects of the students. "The board can conduct exam on important papers and for shorter durations. The board should also consider marks of internal assessment, project works at the time of preparing the final mark sheets," she said.
In the board exam meeting held last week, it was suggested to conduct exam in shorter duration (90 minutes), for 20 important subjects and from home centres. The announcement on class 12 exam is likely by June 1. CBSE suggested to conduct exam between July 15 to August 26.
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