In a surprise move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with students and parents in a live interactive video conferencing session organised by the Education Ministry. Apart from giving life mantras, the PM heard the students’ and parents’ anxieties and concerns, as both thanked him for cancelling Class XII board examinations of CBSE.
“I joined you suddenly… Hope I have not disturbed you, you were having fun… it looked like your joy was boundless because the exam was cancelled,” the Prime Minister said as students brimmed with smiles.
The decision to cancel the examinations was taken on Tuesday at an important review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi in view of “uncertain conditions due to Covid-19 and the feedback obtained from various stakeholders”.
Addressing Hiteshwar Sharma, a student from Panchkula, PM Modi said: “You were a topper in Class 10, and obviously expecting to top Class 12, too. But now that there is no exam, that won’t happen.” The brilliant response by grateful Sharma earned him applause from the PM and fellow students.
He said the hard work he put in won’t go waste. “The knowledge will remain with us. Someone who has remained consistent will remain the topper whatever new criteria is used now,” he added.
Earlier, taking cue from the Centre, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Maharashtra opted not to conduct class 12 board examinations in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, while states like West Bengal and Odisha have formed an expert committee to looked into the matter.
Yesterday, Anurag Tripathi, Secretary, CBSE, had said that they were in the midst of structuring the criteria for Class 12 evaluation and it will be put in the public domain once it is completed. He urged parents, teachers, principals and students to wait for it and not panic.
As per media reports, two formulae were being explored to mark students for the scrapped exams. The first option is to assess the students on the basis of their performances in Classes 10, 11 final exams and Class 12 internal exams. The other option is to give weightage to Class 10 board exam results, and internal assessments in Class 12. According to CBSE officials, structuring criteria for evaluation of Class 12 students will take at least two weeks.
Meanwhile, Delhi University has decided that whatever mechanisms the CBSE compiles for merit lists will be followed for admissions this year. Delhi University Vice-Chancellor P.C. Joshi said that the common entrance test can also be implemented if the Ministry of Education approves the same. The SC on Thursday said it was happy to note that the government has cancelled the class 12 board exams, and directed the CBSE and CICSE to place on record well-defined objective criteria for assessment of students in two weeks.