The state board exams for classes 10 and 12 in Maharashtra have been postponed due to the Covid surge. State School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad announced today that the class 12 exams will now be conducted by the end of May, and the class 10 exams will be held in June. According to her, the precise dates will be revealed depending on the evolving situation, which the administration is closely watching.
“The present circumstances are not conducive for holding exams. Your health is our priority,” Ms Gaikwad said in a video message posted on Twitter today.
She said the decision to delay the exams was focused on discussions with a variety of stakeholders, including students, teachers, parents, elected officials from different parties, academics, and tech giants.
“Various alternate evaluation options were examined during the consultations with the health, well-being, and future of our students in mind. “It seems that postponing exams was the most practical option,” she said, thanking Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for “his help.” “..
“We’ll also be writing to the CBSE, ICSE, IB, Cambridge boards, requesting them to reconsider their exams dates,” she said.
Maharashtra, which was already the worst-affected state when the pandemic struck India in January 2020, is now experiencing a virulent outbreak of infections that have spread throughout the world. The state recorded 63,294 new diagnoses and 349 deaths yesterday, bringing the total to 34,07,245 infections and 57,987 deaths.
Partial lockdowns and nighttime curfews have been reinstated in some parts of the state. Officials have also warned that if the condition does not change, the state may consider a total lockout, which is what the state is attempting to prevent.
Thousands of students from across the country demanded earlier this month that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) either cancel or administer the Can board exams online, citing the Covid-19 boom. The commission, on the other hand, declined, claiming that proper safety provisions had been made for students taking the exams.
Several politicians, including Priyanka Gandhi of the Congress, have criticized the CBSE’s decision. Ms Gandhi went so far as to call it “irresponsible.”
