The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has ruled out the possibility of the cancellation of Board Exams 2021 due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.
The CBSE has made it clear that it will conduct class 10, 12 board exams as per the schedule, i.e, from May 4.
Due to the sudden surge in coronavirus cases, students across the country have been urging the government to cancel the Board exams 2021.
Earlier on Friday, an online petition demanding the cancellation of CBSE Board Exam 2021 crossed 1, 00,000 signatures.
“I urge the education ministry to look into this matter and cancel all examinations to be held this year. Above that, they’ll have to take the pressure of examinations which could lead them into taking bad decisions if they don’t perform well. Some serious action needs to be taken”, the petitioner said.
Reacting to the petition, CBSE and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) issued a joint statement and assured that all necessary precautions will be taken for the safety of students during the exam.
“With Covid guidelines in place, the exam centres across the country have been increased by 40-50 per cent to ensure social distancing among students during the exam. The board is taking ample measures to conduct board exams 2021 amid the Covid-19 pandemic,” a CBSE official told a news agency.
Earlier on Friday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra backed students’ demands and said it is irresponsible on the part of the CBSE to force students to appear for Board examinations and demanded that the exams be either cancelled or rescheduled in view of the COVID-19 situation in the country.
“It is downright irresponsible of boards like the CBSE to force students to sit for exams under the prevailing circumstances. Board exams should either be cancelled, rescheduled or arranged in a manner that does not require the physical presence of children at crowded exam centres,” she tweeted.