Maharashtra School Education Minister, Varsha Gaikwad has assured that a decision regarding the conduct of Class 12 Board exams will be taken in a week’s time. The Minister attended a high profile meeting of Union Ministers wherein, CBSE proposed two different options for conducting the Class 12 board exams this year. However, Maharashtra was one of the states who are not in favor of conducting examinations.
As per reports, Ms Gaikwad is of the view that a retrospective assessment model is adopted instead of conducting the Class 12 board exams given the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and in the state. Resonating with the announcement of Union Education Minister RP Nishank, Gaikwad said that a final decision will be taken in this regard within a week’s time. The decision is to be taken after a meeting with the Maharashtra State Chief Minister Mr Uddhav Thackrey.
It may be noted that around 14 lakh students registered with the state board and another 25000 students registered with the Central Board of Secondary Education are awaiting the decision as to whether the postponed Class 12 (HSC) examination will be conducted this year.
Ms Gaikwad has stated in a series of tweets that students are extremely vulnerable to the newly surfaced strain of the COVID-19 virus. In view of catering to the health and well-being of the students during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not desirable to conduct exams and a non-exam route for Class 12 students is feasible under current circumstances.
As per reports, Ms Varsha Gaikwad’s response to CBSE’s decision to conduct the Class 12 Board exams this year was to adopt retrospective assessment model. The state minister said that entrance examinations are conducted for admission to professional courses after Class 12. Thus, the retrospective assessment model can be adopted. In the high profile meeting of Central Minister, Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia also opposed the conduct of Board exams since most students of Class 12 are below 18 years old and there is no provision of COVID-19 vaccination for the below 18 age group in India yet.
The Bombay High Court, on the other hand, has slammed the Maharashtra government regarding the cancellation of Class 10 (SSC) exams. In this context, Ms Gaikwad stated that the government will inform the high court about the hazards of conducting the exams amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the cancellation of the Class 10 board exams by the Maharashtra government, a vacation bench of the High Court has ruled that the Government is mocking the entire education system by deciding to promote students in Class 10 without holding any examination.
