Keypoints:
- Decision on class 12th CBSE board exams, which had been postponed earlier in the state, will be taken in a week’s time.
- Today, Monday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be chairing a meeting with the school education department.
On Sunday, Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad has said that a decision on class 12 exams in the state which had been postponed earlier, will be taken in a week’s time. Keeping the pandemic situation in the view, she also said that the option of “non-exam route” should be explored.
Gaikwad was attending a meeting which was convened by the Central government in order to decide the fate of pending Class 12 board exams and the subsequent entrance exams. These exams were postponed in the view of second Covid-19 wave. Class 10th exams of the State Board has already been cancelled by the government.
“There are 25,000 CBSE students and 14 lakh state board students (of Class 12 in Maharashtra),” Gaikwad said. She also said that, “The chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) has called a meeting on Monday with the school education department and a decision regarding Class 12 exams will be taken in a week’s time.”
On Thursday, the Bombay High Court had slammed the Maharashtra government over cancellation of 10th board exams, saying that it was a mockery of the education system.
In a tweet, Gaikwad has said that, “Keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic situation, the projection that children are vulnerable to new strains of coronavirus, an option of a non-examination route for Class 12 students should be actively examined. Health and mental well-being of children, their families must be our priority. Students and parents have been sharing their concern about appearing for exams amid the pandemic.”
She also said that since most of the professional courses hold entrance exams for admissions, many experts are of the view that it is possible to evaluate performance of Class 12 students based on the retroactive assessment model. Personally, I believe that we should remove the uncertainty regarding exams & take a decision that is in student’s interest, she said. “Our focus should now be in evolving a UNIFORM ASSESSMENT policy, VACCINATION of all teachers & eligible students, & safe resumption of schools, colleges campuses for the next academic year,” Gaikwad said in the tweet.
As for the meeting, she informed that the centre has sought feedback from the state on the two options discussed within the next two days.
