Ending all the speculations and anxiety among the CBSE class XII students, PM Narendra Modi announced to cancel the class XII exams. Earlier CBSE had canceled class X exams in view of surging covid-19 cases. This decision earned praise from many students, parents, and teachers.
After CBSE canceled the exams of class X, #cancelboardexams were trending on Twitter. The majority of the students who don’t want to write the exams due to the ongoing pandemic have exerted huge stress on the government and amid these continuing demands for cancellation of examinations, the ministry of education called for a meeting last Sunday to discuss this issue, which was attended by education ministers and secretaries from different states. Finally, the examination was canceled and the students got the decision in their favor.
This decision was need of the hour. Suppose if they would have postponed the exam, then there would be a delay in admissions to the undergraduate colleges which would cause a more rigorous curriculum which the newly admitted students will find a lot more difficult to keep in track with. And if they conduct an examination in this situation, there would be a lot of mental pressure on the students, parents, and even on the invigilators regarding their safety. However, what will be the criteria for assessment is still not known.
Arguments that were in favor of the XII board exam:
Though the XII examinations were canceled, these were some of the arguments from the teachers, educationists, and the appearing students in favor of the examinations.
- Cancellation of the examinations will cause a huge contagion effect in terms of students’ academic performance. Many educationists often say students will have huge learning gaps due to this so they might drop out.
- The students who really worked hard throughout the year or specifically for board exams will be wasted. Many students also argue that the examinations conducted by the school cannot be taken as a measurement tool to evaluate the marks in board exams as they are not conducted thoroughly. Also, many students don’t have a great scoreboard in tests conducted in school as they thought these tests wouldn’t matter in the CBSE mark sheet.
- There are many colleges and universities that take admissions on the basis of XII examination marks.
- The students who were debating against the cancellation of the examinations put their view that many (though not all) students have cheated during online exams and hence secured good marks in school exams. So it will be unfair to those hard-working students if there is the cancellation of examinations.
- Last but not the least, National Council of CBSE Schools (NCCS) said that the mark sheet is a very important document for higher studies of the student’s life. So without the examination, the students might lose it.
The necessity to cancel the XII board exam:
- Due to the pandemic situation, all the schools were shut down and studies were going on through online classes. But now as the Covid spread is at its peak, there was no way to conduct the examination via the offline medium. Many people also claimed that NEET and JEE were also conducted during covid. But while JEE and NEET were conducted, Covid was not at its peak. It was starting to spread at that time. It was just the first wave. The current covid phase is a mutated one and much dangerous. The new variant is not that preventive even after maintaining Social Distancing. So it was very risky to put the lives of students and examiners to stake.
- This is something that has not been really taken into consideration but online classes have taken huge negative damage on students with learning complexities. There are also students with comprehension troubles, dyslexia and they struggle to concentrate, they are the worst hit groups of all. Also online class is new to the students and teachers which is not friendly towards learning difficulties. It is not about academic excellence with dismissing students with learning difficulties.
- Students who are from the economically weaker sections will be the worst affected of all in case CBSE would have decided to keep the board exams. Several aspiring students from poor families weren’t able to attend online classes or even submit assignments and projects for that matter because they were unable to afford a device for the same. Even their access to devices was hard due to the lockdown. So they haven’t been able to study at all. Aspiring students from a remote village where internet connection is very poor and power cut is frequent would have also suffered.
- If students feel difficulty in any of the subjects mathematics or physics there are no face-to-face tutions available.
- The most important thing is if someone would have suffered from Covid due to an exam how would have CBSE handled the situation and conditions of the student and his/her family?
- The worst among all is the mental stress this situation could have been created on the student’s examinations were to be conducted. Could they be able to study in peace when all they see around them is just death, disease, and sadness? Especially people that are close to them.
Getting admissions into undergraduate colleges:
To get into graduate colleges for higher studies, every student might have to appear for a certain entrance exam and only deserving candidates will get admissions into that College. This is also allegedly said that Central Universities will be conducting the CUCET exam for admissions into graduate courses.
Last year when CBSE canceled the class XII exams, it also proposed that the students who are unsatisfied with the marks awarded to them by the process which CBSE has proposed can give the exams later when the situation improves.
The Selection Process for Both class X and XII :
For the students who had appeared in more than three subjects in the year 2020 before lockdown, CBSE chooses the best three subjects where the student scored maximum marks. Average marks were calculated and the calculated mark was awarded to the remaining subjects which were not conducted. For example, if a student has appeared in three subjects. Let it be Physics, Chemistry, Biology and due to covid English and Mathematics was canceled. So, he was awarded an average of the three subjects (which is the addition of those subjects divided by three).
Let’s assume a student has appeared in one examination, so it won’t be possible for finding the average. Here in this case his previous academic records like pre-board exams, practical exams, projects can be taken into consideration and an average of these marks can be suitable to award that student.
There was also an option to apply for re-exams later after the covid situation improves. But no matter if he scores less or more, the marks he scored will be final and can not be changed.
CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2021 was canceled and it was decided that their results of the Board exam 2021 will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the Board. Any candidate who is dissatisfied 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. The board will soon release the marking scheme for CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2021.
But what might the evaluation pattern for the XII be? Will it be similar to last year or something a change in the pattern? Will it be suitable for them? There is a lot of speculations on the evaluation pattern now.
Objective criteria for assessment: Govt
The CBSE will take necessary actions to collect and compile the results of class XII according to “well defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner”, the government announced on Tuesday. Similar to last year, those students who want to give exams to improve their academic records will be given a chance after the situation improves, said the government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a tweet regarding the decision to cancel the CBSE Class 12 Board Examinations 2021 on Tuesday.
The decision to cancel the much anticipated CBSE Class XI board exams this year due to the ongoing coronavirus situation was welcomed by all states, which said it was needed for the safety of students and invigilators.
The CBSE had said for two options – conducting regular exams for only major subjects at selected examination centers or conducting shorter-duration exams at the school where a student is enrolled.
Most of the states choose the second option, which included conducting 90 minutes exams for major subjects at the schools where students enrolled. Few states advised on vaccinating students before going ahead with the examination. Some teachers also insisted on making short-duration MCQ tests.
The most important question now is how quickly and efficiently can the government come up with an acceptable mechanism of grading since a majority of students plan to continue their studies for which they obviously need an assessment of their XII performance.