Delhi / Board exams being cancelled is a great relief: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday welcomed the central government’s decision to cancel the CBSE board exams for class 10 and postpone the same for class 12 in view of the worsening coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation in the country. Taking it to Twitter, Kejriwal said it is a great relief for lakhs of students and their parents.

Echoing his remarks, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also expressed happiness over the central government’s decision. However, Sisodia, who is also serving as the national capital’s education minister, urged that board exams for class 12 should be cancelled. “The fear created in the minds of students of Class 12 can also be overcome. I appeal that students of Class 12 should also be promoted on the basis of internal assessment,” Sisodia was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The decision on the CBSE board exams was taken after a high-level meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and other officials of the government. Earlier Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder and opposition parties sought the postponement of the exams as several states/Union Territories (UTs) were seeing a massive spike in their daily Covid-19 cases.

According to a statement by the education ministry, PM Modi said during the meeting that the well-being of the students is the government’s priority and it would ensure their health is looked after and at the same time their academic interests are not harmed.

Board exams for class 12, which were supposed to be held from May 4 to June 14 are postponed. The Centre will review the situation on June 1 and details will be shared. A notice of 15 days will be provided before the exams commence, the statement said.

The class 10 board exams were also supposed to be held between May 4 to June 14. As the exams stand cancelled now, the results will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion, which will be developed by the CBSE. Students not satisfied with their grades/marks will be allowed to sit for an exam as and when the conditions are conducive to hold them, the statement added.

“Students of Class 10 to be promoted on the basis of internal assessment. If a student is not satisfied with the assessment then he/she can appear for the examination once the situation is normal,” education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said.