Mumbai: Badlapur CBSE school calls for Class 12 practical exams, parents demand cancellation

Days after the Union government announced the decision to scrap Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 theory exams, a school in Badlapur received flak for scheduling practical exams starting Sunday (June 6) for the Class 12 students

Days after the Union government announced the decision to scrap Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 theory exams, a school in Badlapur received flak for scheduling practical exams starting Sunday (June 6) for the Class 12 students. Late Saturday, almost 85% of the Class 12 batch from the school decided to not attend exams starting Sunday.

HT Image

While the school said practical exams have to be taken for Class 12 students, especially, since theory exams have been scrapped, parents feel the situation is still not safe for students to attend physical classes or exams.

“No other school in and around Navi Mumbai is conducting practical exams at present, then why is this school so insistent? Students who are currently in quarantine or recovering from Covid-19 are a worried lot, and so are the rest, who are afraid of contracting the virus during exams,” said a parent of a student studying at Poddar Brio International School in Badlapur. He added that with no official word from CBSE officials, many parents are feeling unsure about the need for the exams to be held in the current scenario.

These practical exams were originally scheduled to take place in April and May but had to be postponed due to the high number of Covid-19 cases across the city and country. “With no theory exams in place, students’ practical exam marks will have to be considered and for that, we are conducting these exams. Students’ safety is our priority and all safety measures will be in place during the exams,” said Rashmi Singh, principal of the school.

Singh further added that the school, situated in a ‘green zone’ has already got permission from the local collector’s office to hold physical exams for their students in batches. Parents, however, are finding the situation ambiguous. “As per the original schedule, all schools have to upload the practical exam marks of class 12 students by June 11, and therefore, the school is hurrying into the exams. Instead, they should approach the examinations authority and demand for an extension in deadline,” said another parent.

Mahesh Dharmadhikari, the CBSE regional head, Pune, told HT that conducting practical exams is a decision left on individual schools. “Schools can’t force the parents, but whoever is willing, a school can hold practical exams for them. In case students can’t appear for exams due to medical reasons, schools will have to make arrangements in the future,” he said.