The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided on June 25, 2020, to cancel CBSE class 10 and 12 examinations scheduled to take place from July 1-12, 2020.
Although CBSE has cancelled class 10 exams altogether, the class 12 exams are now optional. It means if the CBSE class 12 board exams take place in the future when the COVID-19 situation improves, these students can opt to appear for the exams at that time.
The class 12 students, who choose not to appear for the exams, will receive their evaluation based on their internal assessments and the grades in their past three exams.
Parents’ Plea is Answered
Parents all over the country earlier filed a plea to the apex court to cancel board exams considering potential health hazards amid the ongoing pandemic.
The Supreme Court Bench conducted a hearing of the petition and informed the boards that holding pending exams during the time rising coronavirus cases in the country would be a huge risk.
After parents’ opposition and the verdict by the apex court in Mumbai, the Board announced that students could either appear for pending examinations in July or receive grading for the remaining subjects based on the internal assessment by the school.
ICSE to Follow CBSE after the June 25th Decision
On June 23, 2020, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education or ICSE informed the Supreme Court that it would follow the CBSE’s decision on conducting the pending examinations. The SC earlier adjourned the further hearing until June 25, 2020 (Thursday) after the CBSE Board requested for the same.
Responding to ICSE Board’s statement, SC informed that the Board has the liberty to tweak the CBSE decision and decide on its own. Now, after the CBSE’s decision, ICSE has also canceled class 12 exams.
What is in Store for Students after the CBSE Exams Got Cancelled?
CBSE’s decision to cancel the exams will affect nearly 30 lakh students nationwide. It is because the marks or grades that students get in their class 10 and 12 exams are crucial.
Based on the grades of class 10, students decide which stream to pursue, such as science, arts, or commerce. In the future, according to their chosen stream, students further determine their career path.
On the other hand, the class 12 grades help students decide which educational institute they will get into for undergraduate studies. Besides, thousands of students who desire to pursue studies overseas now have to wait and see how the common grading system will work out while getting admission to foreign universities.
Many students may potentially have mixed feelings about the latest development. They understand the parents’ concern about the health risk due to this pandemic. At the same time, they are likely to be a tad disappointed, as they have studied hard throughout the year, and already geared up for the exams.
Now the exams are cancelled, and once the common grading system rolls out, it will not be fair to all the students, as they will receive their grading based on a specific percentage. Particularly, those who have studied throughout the year will be more at the receiving end. Also, students who aspire to study abroad will now be clueless as to how their Grade Point Average or GPA will be determined. Universities abroad, while trying to accommodate the changing situation, may not settle for a random percentage when it comes to the GPA score.
Keep in touch with Writers Qi to figure how to cope with this changed situation with regard to college applications.