New Delhi, May 22 (IANS): Both the government-run and private school administrations in the national capital have recommended that the Class XII board exams (CBSE board) should be canceled in view of the severe pandemic situation, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, said on Saturday.
Sisodia's statement came after he held a meeting on Saturday with the principals and teachers of both Delhi government-run and private schools of the national capital to discuss and solicit suggestions on the matter.
"Keeping in mind the severity of the second wave of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants like black fungus etc., many students, teachers and their families are apprehensive about holding the Class XII board exams.
"They feel that the exam centers might become super spreaders. They have recommended that the most appropriate decision with regard to Class XII board exams would be to completely cancel them," Sisodia said.
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is scheduled to chair a virtual meeting with the state education ministers and senior officials to discuss the Class XII board exams on Sunday.
Sisodia also held a virtual meeting with several students and parents, all eager to know the fate of the crucial board exams in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The consensus that emerged from all the meetings with these key stakeholders is that in the absence of vaccines for children, conducting any kind of examination will only make our students and teachers more vulnerable to the virus," said Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio in Delhi government.
"They have suggested that the final grades should be awarded on the basis of unit tests, practical exams, general tests and pre-board exams already conducted in February-March 2021," Sisodia added.
The CBSE board exams for Class X and Class XII were supposed to begin from May 4. However, due to the raging second wave of the pandemic, the Class X board exams were cancelled on April 15, while the Class XII exams were postponed until further notice.
When the CBSE had announced the postponement of Class XII board exams, it had said that a final decision on the matter will be announced on June 1.