In the matter of CBSE Class 12 Exam for the year 2021, the Supreme Court adjourned CBSE’s plea to cancel the year’s 12th class exam. The Supreme Court decided to adjourn the plea and said that it will pass the final decision by June 3. The 12th class exams for Central Board’s students are in a state of purgatory with students demanding the cancellation of the exam in the view of rising COVID-19 cases and Centre not delivering the final judgment.
Details
The Supreme Court on Monday morning was to hear the CBSE’s plea which seeks to cancel the CBSE and ICSE Class 12 examination in the view of COVID-19 pandemic situation across the country. The plea was filed by advocate Mamta Sharma who represents CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) and the CICSE (Council of Indian Certificate Examination).
During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, called for the assistance of the Indian Attorney General Venugopal to weigh in on the matter of scrapping the 12 class board exams. The Supreme Court also asked the petitioner Mamata Sharma to be just equally optimistic as the Centre and that the resolution can be passed in her favour.
What happened during the hearing?
Attorney General Venugopal asked the Supreme Court some time and said-
“The government will take a decision within the next two days. Please grant us time till Thursday so that we come with final decision.”
To this, the Supreme Court nodded the appeal and said, “You can take a decision. If you are departing from the policy last year, you must give good reasons. As last order was after detailed deliberations.” The Attorney General then proceeded to read the order passed by the Supreme Court regarding the cancellation of board exams in the view of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court bench then further reiterated that if the Centre chooses to deviate from the policy, it needs to give the top court good reasons.
Also Read: Government announces cancellation of CBSE Class 10th Board exams, Class 12th exams postponed
CBSE Board Exams: The Story So Far
The plea adjourned by the Supreme Court today was filed by Mamta Sharma on the behalf of all the students who will be taking the Class 12 board exam. The plea seeks the cancellation of the CBSE & ICSE Class 12 exams and to share results within a specified timeline using an ‘objective methodology’. Taking the view of the current situation in the country, the plea stated that lakhs of students may get exposed to the COVID-19 virus if they are forced to give the exams.
Although the board exams are conducted every year in March, due to the pandemic the CBSE decided to postpone the Class 12 exam till June 4 and cancel the class 10 exam. The decision had come after Prime Minister Modi took a meeting with Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and other state ministers. The exam was originally scheduled to be conducted from May 4.
Meanwhile for Class 10 students, the Education Ministry’s statement read-
“The results of Class Xth Board will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the Board. Any candidate who is not satisfied with the marks allocated to him/her on this basis will be given an opportunity to sit in an exam as and when the conditions are conducive to hold the exams.”
93% students in favour of cancellation: Advocate Mamta Sharma
On the basis of the data received so far.. pic.twitter.com/I2a62QiAWH
— Mamta Sharma (@AdvMamtaSharma) May 30, 2021
Advocate Mamta Sharma, who currently represents all the students that are demanding the cancellation of the board exams of 2021, took an online poll where it was found out that around 93.1% of the students who will be appearing for the exams are in favour of the scrapping of the exams.
In her detailed report, it was identified that a major chunk of students (48%), claimed that they are afraid of the contracting the COVID-19 virus if the board exams are conducted offline. Other reasons identified were: unable to concentrate on studies due to anxiety, family/self being affected by the virus. The poll saw a pool of as many as 1,47,995 students participating.
