CBSE Class XII exam cancellation: Teachers, students welcome decision; worried about evaluation, college admission

By Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], June 2 : The Government School Teachers' Association, Delhi on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the Centre to cancel the Class XII board examinations. However, teachers and students are worried regarding the evaluation of students and their admission to colleges.
Teachers who are busy taking online classes and attended all the phone calls said it is good that a decision has been taken.
Speaking to ANI, Ajay Vir Yadav, general secretary, Government School Teachers' Association, Delhi said, "We obey decision by the central government but students and teachers both were excited regarding the board examinations."
"If pre-board examinations are made the evaluation base it will not be a proper justification for students because here, on one hand, students prepare themselves more based on pre-board results and on the other hand teachers check the answer sheets much more strictly in order to make students study harder and improve themselves for much better scores," added Yadav.
Schools are yet to receive guidelines from the education department or from the boards regarding the procedures and how things are to be done. Most of the schools have asked their students to 'wait and watch'.
Shakeel Ahmed, a History teacher of a government school said, "I am receiving calls from the students asking me how to get admission in colleges now. What will be the possible criteria... what can be done if they fail to get good scores... So, definitely students are tensed."
Ajay Anand, a Sanskrit teacher of Class XII told ANI that students are now relieved after the government's announcement. He said earlier students were anxious while preparing themselves for the examination as there was no certainty.
"But given the pandemic situation we all need to be careful and the assessment based evaluation would be made based on student's past performances," he added.
Many students of Class XII told ANI that they definitely welcome the decision but their tensions nevertheless remain the same as board examinations are absolutely different from pre board exams and in case they get lower grades due to the evaluation. Also, they are worried about their admission to college now.
Regarding the cancellation of the board examination, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said JNU will conduct the entrance examination whenever it is safe for students to write. If the entrance is delayed due to COVID and if admission happens at later date, the university will surely adjust its academic calendar to take care of lost time without compromising academic rigor.
The central government on Tuesday decided that Class XII board exams of CBSE would not be held this year in view of the uncertain conditions due to COVID-19 and the feedback obtained from various stakeholders.
The government said CBSE will take steps to compile the results of Class XII students as per well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner. It was also decided that like last year, in case some students desire to take the exams, such an option would be provided to them by CBSE, as and when the situation becomes conducive.
The decisions were taken at a review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the Class XII board exams of CBSE.
The Prime Minister said the decision on Class XII CBSE exams has been taken in the interest of students.