Class 12 Board Exams 2021: Recent Development and Idle Approaches

Meetings convened by the central government to discuss the feasibility of conducting the CBSE Class XII board exams have been futile. The inconclusive approach towards these exams begs the question, are the CBSE board exams more important than the safety of students?

The Central Government is scheduled to deliver a final verdict on June 1. The centre is expecting substantial contributions and suggestions from State governments. In the meantime, CBSE has laid down two possible methods to conduct the exams; the first solution mandates the conduction of “major subjects” to be convened at “designated examination centres and in the existing format,” with marks “calculated as per the assessment scheme based on the performance in the major subjects” in the minor subjects.

The second solution involves a substantial change in the methodology of conducting the exam. It requires the examination to be conducted at the schools where students are enrolled, reducing the duration of the exams and switching to only multiple choice and short answer type questions. The majority of states prefer the second solution, Delhi and Maharashtra have opposed the conduction of the exams.

The Ferocity of the Second-Wave
CBSE decided to cancel the Class X board exams in April due to the inability to reach a safe manner to conduct the exams but during the time of class X exam cancellation, class XII board exams were postponed until further notice, but cancellation remained out of question.

Due to the ferocity of the second-wave of COVID-19 in India, the question of cancellation has become indispensable due to the impracticality of conducting an exam at the national level with millions of students appearing for the exam. The second-wave variant of coronavirus is more lethal and transmissible.

Judging the Practicality of Possible Solutions
Central Board of Secondary Education has offered to conduct the exams in a period of 45 days or two months, however, the severity of the virus and the students appearing for the exams unvaccinated does not really help anyone. The what-ifs while conducting the exams outweigh the practicality of the conduction of exams.

To judge the various situations, is incomprehensible and unenforceable to maintain absolute social distancing at all times between teachers and students. Another situation is if one student or teacher who has contracted the virus and is in the centre; the student or teacher will jeopardize the safety of the entire population present in the examination centre.

Recent Developments
More than 300 students have sent a letter petition to Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana to quash the CBSE’s decision to conduct examinations via physical means amid concerns due to rising coronavirus cases. Students have urged the apex court to direct the government towards finding alternative means to assess the student.

CBSE plans to conduct final Class 12 board exams from July 15 to August 26, however, the final verdict is expected on June 1 after a review meeting.

Conclusion
Class XII CBSE Board examinations and the apex and only metric to measure the students in their final year of school is a system majorly responsible for the collapse of credibility in the education system. As the National Education Policy 2020 points out, “these exams do much harm, by replacing valuable time for learning with excessive exam preparation … and force students to learn a very narrow band of material … rather than allowing the flexibility and choice that will be so important in the education system of the future”. It is possible to carry out a consolidated assessment of Class XII students without subjecting them to a high-pressure examination in the middle of a pandemic — for instance, their scores in previous examinations could be used to arrive at a final result.

The only scenario in which the exams seem plausible is when every student required to appear for the exam and teachers, part of the invigilation and conduct of the exam, are vaccinated.

Image Courtesy: The Indian Express & Hindustan Times

Originally published at https://www.woodwardjournal.com.