The remaining Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and Indian School Certificate (ISC) board examinations for Classes 10 and 12, that were scheduled to be held in July, have been cancelled due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Supreme Court was informed on Thursday.
The Class 12 examinees affiliated to the CBSE board will, however, have the option of either taking the exams later or to move ahead with the assessment based on their performance in the last three internal exams. The re-exam option will not be available to Class 10 students. The option of re-examination would also be unavailable to the ICSE (Class 10) and ISC (Class 12) students.
A bench headed by justice AM Khanwilkar took note of the submissions of solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the CBSE, that the Class 10 and 12 board examinations scheduled from July 1-15 have been cancelled. He said a scheme has been formulated to give the options only to Class 12 students — for re-examination or assessment based on past performance.The CBSE said the re-exam would be conducted when the situation becomes conducive and the option to take up the re-exam would not be available to Class 10 examinees. The results may be declared in mid-August, the CBSE said on being asked by the court to clarify as to when the academic year will begin after the declaration of results.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations , however, told the bench, that it will not give re-examination option to Class 10 and 12 students and that the results would be declared on the basis of past performances.The top court asked the CBSE and the Centre to issue a fresh notification on Class 12 exams dealing with issues including the option of re-examination and internal assessment, date of results and status of re-examination keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation in different states. “You have said that you will conduct exams when the situation is conducive. But the situation may be different from state to state... Will the decision be taken by a central authority or will the state take the decision. How are you going to deal with that situation,” the bench said while asking CBSE to come up with the fresh notification.The bench said the CBSE notification should indicate the scheme for internal assessment and give a timeline. “The notification will be issued latest by tomorrow,” the law officer said. Earlier, the top court was informed that states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have conveyed their inability to conduct board exams.
{{/usCountry}}The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations , however, told the bench, that it will not give re-examination option to Class 10 and 12 students and that the results would be declared on the basis of past performances.The top court asked the CBSE and the Centre to issue a fresh notification on Class 12 exams dealing with issues including the option of re-examination and internal assessment, date of results and status of re-examination keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation in different states. “You have said that you will conduct exams when the situation is conducive. But the situation may be different from state to state... Will the decision be taken by a central authority or will the state take the decision. How are you going to deal with that situation,” the bench said while asking CBSE to come up with the fresh notification.The bench said the CBSE notification should indicate the scheme for internal assessment and give a timeline. “The notification will be issued latest by tomorrow,” the law officer said. Earlier, the top court was informed that states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have conveyed their inability to conduct board exams.
{{/usCountry}}The top court was hearing pleas seeking relief, including scrapping of remaining exams of Class 12 scheduled from July 1-15, in view of increasing number of Covid-19 cases. Similar reliefs were also sought from the ICSE and ISC boards. Earlier, the Centre and the CBSE had said that an expert body is in the process of taking final decision “very shortly” on whether to scrap the pending Class 12 exams.