Defer Class 10, 12 exams planned in July, state tells CBSE, ICSE

In a relief to thousands of Class 10 and 12 students in Maharashtra, the state government has written to heads of CBSE and ICSE boards requesting them not to conduct

In a relief to thousands of Class 10 and 12 students in Maharashtra, the state government has written to heads of CBSE and ICSE boards requesting them not to conduct exams in July as per the new schedule and push them further or to mark students based on their internal evaluation for the entire year.

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In a letter sent to the boards on Wednesday, the government has said that in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, it will be difficult for students to travel to their centres and the conduct of examinations would mean risking the health of many. Thus, it stated that it would not be able to permit the boards to hold the exams as there is too much risk involved. The boards have been asked to consider one of the two options-- to conduct exams at a later date after the situation improves or to mark students on the basis of their performance in internal assessments.

On May 22, ICSE re-scheduled papers which were earlier set to be held between March 19 and 31. While eight papers of ISC(Class 12) have been rescheduled, six papers of ICSE(Class 10) have been pushed further. As per the board’s revised schedule, the ICSE papers would now be held between July 2 and 12 while ISC exams would be held between July 1 and 14. Similarly, CBSE announced that all the remaining papers would be conducted between July 1 and July 15.

A senior official from the ICSE board said that cancellation of exams might not be possible considering too many papers are left. “We have already told students in a circular released last month that in a situation wherein they cannot write the exam, they can send a representation through the school and the board would allow them to appear for it at the time of compartmental exams conducted at a later date. If internal exam marks are considered, many parents would object to it again,” said the official.

The government has asked the boards to provide data of students who have appeared for both Class 10 and 12 exams and would conduct a virtual meeting with the heads of ICSE and CBSE on Saturday, June 6. The education department has said that it would plan the upcoming first-year junior college admissions depending on the decision of the two boards. Earlier, the SSC board and the IGCSE board had cancelled their remaining exams owing to Covid-19.