No CBSE Class 10, 12 board exams in January or February: Education Minister

New Delhi: After a thorough interaction with teachers across the country, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishan' on Tuesday said that no CBSE board examinations for class 10 and 12 will take place in January of February 2021.

Speaking at the press briefing, Pokhriyal also said that decision conduct the examinations will be taken later. "The current scenario is inconducive for exams," he added.

“Cancelling exams and promoting students without exam will put a stamp on these students. These students might face trouble in getting jobs and admissions at higher education level in future as they would be termed as COVID-era students. We do not want that for our students," he added while addressing the media.

Pokhriyal also said that the exam will be conducted offline as ‘we need a laptop and stable internet and electricity for each student which is a challenge.’

As had been earlier decided, the board exams will be conducted on a reduced syllabus. There will also be 33% internal choices in the exam, said Pokhiryal. 30% of the total syllabus has been scrapped and some states have also declared the same while others are likely to make an announcement soon.

The CBSE had earlier this month announced that board exams in 2021 will be conducted in written mode and not online.

Schools across the country were closed in March to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were partially reopened in some states from October 15.

However, a few states have decided to keep them closed in view of a spike in the number of infections.

Board exams had to be postponed mid-way in March. They were later cancelled, and results announced on the basis of an alternative assessment scheme.

Competitive exams like JEE and NEET were also postponed twice this year due to the pandemic.

There have been demands for postponement of board exams to May in view of the continued closure of schools and teaching-learning activities being conducted entirely online.

The education ministry had earlier announced that JEE-Mains will be conducted four times a year to allow students to improve their scores.

The first edition of the JEE-Mains will be held from February 23 to 26, followed by rounds in March, April and May, it had said.