Amid strict safety protocols, CBSE conducts compartment exams

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)Tuesday began conducting the compartment exams for its class 10 and 12 students amid strict safety measures to restrict

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)Tuesday began conducting the compartment exams for its class 10 and 12 students amid strict safety measures to restrict the spread of Covid-19.

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These are the first set of in-person exams being conducted by the board since the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed in March leading to the suspension and, eventually, the cancellation of the remaining papers of the board examination.

Shaad Ali, a resident of Yamuna Vihar in north-east Delhi, who appeared for his class 12 mathematics compartment exam, said he walked to his exam centre nearby to avoid using the public transport. The board has increased the number of examination centres from 500 (last year) to 1,268 this time to maintain social distancing among students. In Delhi, the exams were conducted at 247 centres.

“My family had asked me to repeatedly sanitise my hands while at the exam centre. There is a health risk, but I could not miss my papers because that would affect my academic future. I wrote my papers wearing mask and gloves, and both were a bit uncomfortable. Although I could not take any tuitions due to the pandemic, my papers went well,” said Ali.

This year, around 2,37,000 students from India and 16 other countries will be appearing for the compartment exams which will continue till September 30. Students of class 10 will be appearing for a maximum of two subjects while those of class 12 will appear for a maximum of one subject. The board had also allowed class 12 students to appear for improvement papers if they wish to better their existing score in the subject.

Himani Singh, a class 12 student of a government school in New Kondli, was among those who gave her improvement papers on Tuesday. “Apart from a slight delay in distributing the papers due to the Covid-19 precautions, the exams were conducted smoothly. Students were made to sit at 6 feet apart and wrote their papers while wearing masks and gloves. We have gotten quite used to wearing masks for long hours, so it wasn’t much of an issue,” she said.

Her father Sukhpal Singh had taken a leave from work to accompany his daughter to and from the exam centre. “There is not much fear because we have been taking all necessary precautions. Since the pandemic struck in March, people have had time to process things and take the necessary precautions. I took a leave from work today so that Himani wouldn’t have to use public transport,” he said.

BP Dhyani, head of a government school in Trilokpuri, which is an exam centre, said the school was taking all necessary measures to ensure safety of staff and students. “Only 12 students are allowed per room and they are provided with sanitisers, masks and gloves if they don’t have their own. We will be locking the rooms that were used for the exams today and using another set of rooms for the examination tomorrow to ensure desks aren’t repeated. Since compartment exams have fewer students (than regular exams), we can take these safety measures.”