The Supreme Court of India, while hearing a petition by a parent, told CBSE to consider possibilities to scrap remaining board exam papers of class 10th and 12th. The court suggested allotting marks based on internal assessment.
A three-judge bench, comprising AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari, and Sanjeev Khanna, was hearing a petition filed by a parent Amit Bathla, who requested the court to ask CBSE to scrap remaining exams keeping the present situation in mind. The CBSE was to conduct the remaining exams between 1st July and 15th July.
Consider internal assessment for remaining exams, said parents in plea
The plea filed by some parents sought direction from the court to ask CBSE to declare the results based on the exams they have already conducted. In the plea, parents suggested CBSE can consider the internal assessment for the remaining exams. They raised concerns about the safety of lakhs of students who may be exposed to Covid-19 infection if they appear for exams. It can drastically increase the number of Covid-19 cases in India, parents said in the plea.
In the petition, it was mentioned that many professional institutions and schools had cancelled their examinations, including the Delhi University. IITs across the country have also cancelled all the examinations, including the final year because of COVID-19. Maharastra has also cancelled University exams, including final year’s examinations.
Guidelines by the Ministry of Home Affairs will cause trouble for students of the containment zone
The plea mentioned the circular issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 20th May 2020, in which they said that no examinations could be held in the containment zone. Also, the students who fall in the containment zone will not be allowed to move to another zone to appear in the exams. That means hundreds of students may miss giving their final exams on the set dates. As public transport is not functional in many areas across the country, it is next to impossible for the students to reach the examination center on time. Every parent can’t provide private vehicle so that the students can reach the examination center.
The parents also alleged in the plea that CBSE has already cancelled the exams for class X and class XII in 250 schools situated abroad. They have adopted the criteria of allotting marks based on internal assessment marks or practical exams.
Supreme Court has sought response from CBSE. The next date of hearing is on 23rd June. The CBSE has been asked to file its response by next Tuesday.
On Monday, The Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) had informed the Bombay high court that it has decided not to pressurise ICSE – Class X and ISC – Class XII students to appear for the remaining papers of the board exams
