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Maharashtra defers Class 10 and 12 state board exams due to surge in Covid cases
Varsha Gaikwad, the Maharashtra education minister, said Class 10 and Class 12 board exams will be deferred. Maharashtra is the worst Covid-19 affected state in India.
Maharashtra education minister Varsha Gaikwad on Monday announced the postponement of Class 10 and 12 state board examinations due to a rapid rise in the western state’s daily cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“Imp. Announcement: Given the current Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra, we’ve postponed state board exams for class 10th and 12th. The present circumstances are not conducive for holding exams. Your health is our priority,” Gaikwad tweeted on Monday afternoon.
Class 12 exams, the minister said, will take place by the end of May, while those for class 10 will be conducted in June, adding that the state government is closely monitoring the health situation. “The decision is the outcome of consultations with various stakeholders, including students, teachers, parents, elected representatives from across parties, academicians and tech giants, in the wake of rising coronavirus cases,” she posted in a subsequent tweet.
“During the consultations, various alternative assessment options were evaluated keeping the health, well-being and the future of our students in mind. Postponing exams seemed to be the most pragmatic solution,” Gaikwad added. The Congress leader also said that the state government would write to the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Cambridge board as well, requesting them to reconsider their respective exam dates.
Maharashtra is the worst Covid-19 affected state in the country, as it has the highest infection tally as well as the highest caseload of active cases. As of April 11, its Covid-19 tally stood at 3,407,245 and 57,987 people have succumbed to the viral disease. On Sunday, 63,294 fresh infections were detected in Maharashtra, the state’s highest single-day rise in cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is likely to take a decision on a state-wide lockdown in the next few days.
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