SSC, HSC exams postponed: Mixed response in Maha

The state government’s decision on Monday to postpone HSC and SSC exams saw a mixed response from various stakeholders

The state government’s decision on Monday to postpone HSC and SSC exams saw a mixed response from various stakeholders. While some welcomed the move, others said the government should have instead gone for internal assessments to avoid future uncertainty.

HT Image

Anubha Sahai, president of the Indiawide Parents Association, a group of parents that petitioned the government to cancel offline exams, said, “The decision will just push the uncertainty further because we do not know what the situation will be in June. The government should instead mark students on the basis of internal assessments. Postponement will not help as students and parents are already under a lot of stress.”

Reema Lokesh, a city-based parent, said all boards should give two options to students and parents. “Those who wish can opt for results with internal assessments and those who wish to write the exams can do so. This way, students can decide what’s best for them and take a call accordingly,” she added.

Rupa Roy, principal, Balmohan Vidya Mandir in Dadar, said the postponement comes as a big relief for schools and students.

“Schools were extremely worried about conducting the exams in the middle of growing infections. We are happy that the safety of students has taken prominence over anything else. The days to come are going to be challenging for teachers too. They will not get any summer vacations and will have to manage both – the existing Class 10 students and teaching the new batch of students who will go in Class 10 this year simultaneously,” she added.

Shivnath Darade, secretary of Shikshak Parishad, a teachers’ group, said, “We had conducted an online survey with 3000 responses. A total of 69% respondents had demanded the exams be postponed. This included students, teachers and parents. We are happy with the postponement.”

Sandeep Deshpande, spokesperson, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), said “We wanted these students to be promoted without taking exams, but we are okay if the exams are postponed.”

MNS chief Raj Thackeray had advocated promoting students without exams on the grounds that it was stressful for students, especially due to the Covid-19 second wave.

BJP leader and former school education minister Ashish Shelar said, “There were concerns among the parents and students appearing for the board exams. We have received requests from many of them and in turn, we had requested the state government for postponement. We thank the state government for the decision.”

With inputs from Naresh Kamath